Bryce Harper is "one of the best first basemen" defensively in MLB, says Rob Thomson following Phillies' 2026 contract extension

It was not exactly the ending to the season that Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies were hoping for. After entering the playoffs as one of the favorites to win the World Series, they ultimately failed to make it past the New York Mets in the NLDS.

While the result may have been disappointing, there were plenty of positives that Philadelphia can take away from the 2024 campaign. One of them is Harper's move to first base. This is something that Phillies manager Rob Thomson spoke about to the media after signing a new deal with the club.

"[17:02] I think he was fantastic at first base, I really did," Thomson said on Tuesday. "... He really took to it very well and I think he's, defensively, one of the best first basemen in baseball to tell you the truth."

"[17:23] He's quite an athlete. He's really quite the baseball mind to be able to take to that as quickly as he has."

Harper, who came up as a catcher at a young age, made his mark as an outfielder for the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies. However, after having to undergo Tommy John surgery during the 2022 offseason, the decision was made to keep him out of the outfield to preserve his elbow.

It is not uncommon for players to transition to a new position but when it's an MVP-caliber star, it makes it more impressive. Another superstar who made a switch earlier this season was Mookie Betts of the LA Dodgers. He took a shot at playing shortstop after cementing himself as one of the best outfielders in baseball.

Bryce Harper was named as a Gold Glove finalist for his work at first base

Although Rob Thomson gave a lot of praise to Bryce Harper, some could view it simply as a manager having his own player's back. However, Harper's strong performances earned him a nomination for the 2024 National League Gold Glove Award at first base.

Harper is nominated along with two of the best in the game, Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves and Christian Walker of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Harper could be fighting an uphill battle given their defensive strengths but being nominated in only his first full season at first base is a testament to his ability.