Harper Signs Record-Breaking Deal With Phillies

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Major League Baseball star Bryce Harper has signed a record-breaking deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Harper, one of MLB’s most highly sought after free agents in quite some time, inked a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies after an extended free agency period. It’s the richest deal in baseball history.

It’s also the biggest contract in North American professional sports history.

.@Bharper3407 has reportedly agreed to sign with the @Phillies for 13 years, $330 million, according to @JeffPassan. pic.twitter.com/DpiUsQi5Ug

— MLB (@MLB) February 28, 2019

Harper, who played seven season with the Washington Nationals, is also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He can be a polarizing member of the LDS community. He made national and local headlines in November 2018 when he stated that he hates BYU while appearing as a guest pick on ESPN’s College GameDay.

Game day crew picks Utah across the board. Bryce Harper is not a fan of the BYU. pic.twitter.com/qM4314vzCh

— Dear Old Crimson (@DearOldCrimson) November 24, 2018

Later in the year, he posted photos his Instagram and his wife’s Instagram when the couple met with Church president Russell M. Nelson and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Dieter F. Uchtdorf while attending General Conference.

 

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As I sit here in the Salt Lake City airport I’ve been pondering about the last couple days I was able to spend in Utah with all my family. Of course you all know my season came to an end this year quite early & that was very unfortunate, but with that being said I was sitting back & thinking this will be the first year me and my wife will be able to attend General Conference and hear from the amazing leaders of our Church. As we were flying in on Thursday, I was so excited & anxious to get to Utah to enjoy this great weekend with everybody. So many smiling and energetic faces ready to do the same as me. We had some free time on Friday so we were able to do a session in the beautiful Salt Lake Temple. This was my first session in this temple and what an experience we had. The spirit was on my mind so strongly & the craziness that this offseason will bring. But when I am feeling such things or in a frame of mind like that nothing feeds my soul more than learning & being more in tune with my Lord & Savior in His house upon the earth! Later in the day we had an incredible opportunity to meet with President Nelson & the “German Shepard” Elder Uchtdorf. I can’t begin to describe to any of you how much wisdom and knowledge these men have. President Nelson had me in shock. He had an overwhelming feeling around him of the spirit. He walked into the room and I immediately teared up and began to think if it was even appropriate for me to be in the same room as this man because of how incredible he is. He came over and shook my hand, my wife’s hand, and family’s hands and we talked for a couple minutes. By the end I couldn’t help but think when this man talks it is the truth. It is the word of God & everything that I want to be part of. My mind was racing & I didn’t really have much time to catch my breathe or really sit back and think about what I had just heard or what had just happened because up the elevator & down the hallway stood one of my biggest hero’s and the biggest spiritual gangster’s that I’ve seen, Elder Uchtdorf. When I walked into his office he greeted me with the biggest smile & just the most friendly vibe I’ve ever seen or felt. He was so personable ➡️

A post shared by Bryce Harper (@bharper3407) on Oct 7, 2018 at 2:13pm PDT

A native of Las Vegas, Harper has been in the national spotlight nearly his entire life. He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated at 16, was the top selection in the MLB Draft at 17 and won his first MVP award at 22. Now, at age 26, he can say he has the richest professional contract in any of the four major sports.