It’s June 8, 2009. Future Phillies outfielder and 16 year old High School phenom Bryce Harper is pictured on the cover of Sports Illustrated titled “Baseball’s Chosen One“. Tom Verducci writes, “His name is Bryce Harper. You don’t know him, but every big league scouting director does. He hits the ball a desert mile, clocks 96 on the gun, and he’s only 16, more advanced than A-Rod and Junior were at the same age. And his ambition is as great as his talent.”
Since Harper was a teenager he’s had the “LeBron of baseball” stamp attached to his name.