Bryce Harper is tearing up the Arizona Fall League

For everyone out there saying that Bryce Harper doesn’t arrive at the Major League level until 2013 or the end of the 2012 season at the earliest, I provide you with this update:

After a slow start in the Arizona Fall League, Bryce Harper has emerged as one of the best players amongst the toughest minor league competition available. He slammed another home run for the Scottsdale Scorpions last night, giving him five homers and 17 RBIs over his last eight games. (Per ESPN’s Jason Grey, General Manager Mike Rizzo was there watching in person.) In 16 games total, Harper is hitting .290/.357/.613.

At this point, Harper is still going to have to come out and make it a tough decision for the Nationals by having a superb spring training. If you’re a person who is excited by Harper’s arrival–the point is that the phenom may have played his final minor league game.

Harper will not turn 20 until next October, and if he makes the Nationals out of spring training it would be a huge boost to ticket sales and merchandise as well as national coverage of the team. Money talks, and if Harper continues to scald the ball the Nationals are going to be running short on reasons to hold this guy back much longer.