The Sports Illustrated cover boy is leaving high school at the age of 16 to get his GED and enroll in a junior college. Doing so will make Bryce Harper eligible for the MLB Draft next season, meaning he will be suiting up for the Washington Nationals come draft day.
His parents have taken a lot of criticism for allowing him to dropout of high school at such an early age.
“People question your parenting and what you’re doing. Honestly, we don’t think it’s that big a deal. He’s not leaving school to go work in a fast-food restaurant. Bryce is a good kid. He’s smart, and he’s going to get his education.”
The fact that Bryce has to enter into college for a year is a byproduct of the stupidity of the MLB age limit rules. Just last season the Oakland Athletics gave a $4.25 million signing bonus to a Domincan pitcher named Michael Inoa as soon as he turned 16, but because Harper lives in the United States, he has to wait until he is 18 or as completed one year of college before he gets his first paycheck.
It doesn’t make sense. American players are more likely to be developed at the age of 16 than a foreigner is, but they are still allowed to rake in the millions years before the home grown talent does.
Anyways, in three years, the Nats might have the best pitcher/catcher combo in the big leagues with Harper behind the plate and Stephen Strasburg on the mound.
