Bryce Harper joining exclusive club at 30 as he builds Hall of Fame resume

Editor’s note: This is a Weird and Wild short. To read this week’s full Weird and Wild column, go here.

Does Bryce Harper have his Hall of Fame induction speech written yet? He should start thinking about it because it’s happening. Mark your calendars for July 2036 — give or take half a decade — because only something very weird (or wild) could throw him off that schedule.

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How is it possible to say that already? It’s not, of course. Not quite. But his astonishing, lead-flipping 300th home run Wednesday got me thinking about it. And not for the first time.

Here’s why. He’s 30 years old. He owns two MVP trophies. He just bashed his 300th homer. He’s seven hits away from 1,500 — and could get there before the Phillies finish their next road trip. And his career OPS+ is a superstar-ish 143.

Now here’s every player in history who could say all that: 300 homers … 1,500 hits … 143 OPS+ or better … and at least two MVP awards … by their age-30 season:

• Mickey Mantle
• Mike Trout
• Albert Pujols
• Jimmie Foxx
• Miguel Cabrera
• Frank Robinson
• Alex Rodriguez
• Bryce Harper

So that’s seven players in the history of the sport — plus Harper. Three — Mantle, Foxx and Robinson — are Hall of Famers. Three more — Trout, Pujols and Miggy — are the “lockiest” of lock Hall of Famers who aren’t on the ballot yet. And the seventh is A-Rod, who A-Rodded is way out of Cooperstown because it’s just a gift he has.

Even the group of retired players who meet those standards but had “only” one MVP by their age-30 season is a collection of Cooperstown legends: Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Vlad Guerrero and Ken Griffey Jr.

So … I can’t guarantee the folks at the Cooperstown Best Western are taking reservations yet for July 2036. But if they are … you have 13 years to cancel!

GO DEEPER

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(Photo of Bryce Harper after he hit his 300th home run: Kyle Ross / USA Today)