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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Bryce Harper is used to learning a new position on the fly. He was drafted first overall in 2010 as an outfielder without ever playing the position and learned the position quickly to get to the big leagues as soon as possible.
More than a decade later, Harper is on the move again. He saw an opportunity to accelerate his return back to the field last season from Tommy John surgery by learning how to play first base in the middle of the season. The experiment began last July and it went as well as the Phillies and Harper could have hoped.
Barring a change in plans, Harper believes he will remain at first base for the rest of his career. Harper said he met with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski at the beginning of the offseason to discuss what the best path forward is for the organization and the team concluded that first base should be Harper’s new home.
Harper, while speaking with reporters Sunday morning in Clearwater, said first base wasn’t necessarily his preference, but he was open to doing whatever the organization wanted to do.
“I think we had a pretty good conversation,” Harper said. “Me and [Dave Dombrowski], we sat down and he said this would be great for our organization and I said, ‘Ok, I wanted them to know I was on board with anything they wanted to do. If that was right field, if that was first base. I told them, ‘Listen, if you want me in right field, I’ll play right. ‘If you want me at first, I’ll play first base.’ I think as a collective, they said first base is where we want you. I said, ‘OK, I’ll do everything I can to be there.'”
The decision to move Harper to first makes them a better defensive team with more flexible moving parts. Kyle Schwarber can be the team’s full-time DH while Johan Rojas gets the chance to take over in center field with Brandon Marsh — or reported signee Whit Merrifield or Cristian Pache — as the left fielder on any given day.
Harper also has a chance to be one of the top first baseman in the sport. In 303 innings at first base in 2023, Harper was worth +3 outs above average, according to Baseball Savant. With a rehab-free offseason and a full spring training to work with infield coach Bobby Dickerson, Harper is confident that he can elevate his defensive game.
“I have a great opportunity to possibly be really good over there,” Harper said. “I look forward to working with Bobby and being the best first baseman I can over there. Nothing is going to change in that aspect, right? I want to be great at everything that I do.”
His three seasons as an outfielder with the Phillies was a mixed bag. He was a Gold Glove finalist in 2019, leading the National League in outfield assists with 13. He regressed in subsequent years and played right field likely for the final time on April 16, 2022. An MRI later revealed a strain in his right elbow and he spent the rest of 2022 and approximately half of 2023 as a designated hitter.
Despite making few meaningful acquisitions this offseason, the Phillies believe they can be a better team and it starts with Harper’s move to first.
“I’m looking forward to being really good over there,” Harper said. “Not for myself, but this whole team and every guy on that infield. They’re all gonna rely on me for their Gold Gloves. Pitchers are gonna rely on me heavy over there as well. I want to be great over there for them and for this organization.”
