Bryce Harper on future contract: ‘Don’t sell me short’

The reigning NL MVP may not be a free agent yet, but Bryce Harper is already thinking about his monetary future

2015 was a breakout year for Bryce Harper. The Washington Nationals phenom hit 42 home runs and was unanimously named NL MVP. At only 23 years old, the future looks extremely bright for this once-in-a-lifetime talent. Bryce seems to agree, and plans for a new contract once his expires after the 2018 season have already been set in motion.

It is no secret that baseball players get payed a ridiculous amount of money during the height of their careers. It looks like the reigning MVP is looking to go above and beyond ridiculous. In an interview with 106.7 FM The Fan’s Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier, Bryce was questioned about being the first player to receive a contract worth $400 million. Bryce had a very interesting response:

"“Yeah, I mean I don’t really think about that stuff. I just try to play the years out and do everything I can to help my team win. But don’t sell me short. That’s what you’re doing right now to me, so don’t do that.”"

The main point to look out for is his last line stating “don’t sell me short”. It appears that the young slugger believes he deserves more than the amount stated above. As of now, the largest contract in baseball history goes to Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton. He signed a 13-year, $325 million deal in 2014, with an opt-out option after the sixth year. Bryce Harper is looking to top that, and then some.

Bryce Harper’s agent is Scott Boras, one of the best (and most frustrating) negotiators in all of baseball. It’s his job to start this bidding war for the current Nationals star, and he will be glad to do it. As of now, the two teams that would be close to grabbing him are the Nationals and the Yankees. A bidding war between these two profitable teams is just another day at the office for Mr. Boras. A tag-team of Bryce and Boras rattling the chains will make for a very interesting offseason in the future.

Will Bryce Harper become the first $400 million man in baseball history, or will he make more? While he shows promise, the road to the 2018 offseason provides a lot of questions. Can he still produce like has done this past season? Will other teams be willing to spend that much? Finally, the most important question: Does he deserve that kind of money? I guess we will just have to wait and see.