Nationals sign Bryce Harper to two-year deal

Outfielder Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals will avoid a grievance hearing over his 2015 salary after the two sides reached middle ground on Sunday evening with a two-year, $7.5 million contract. Harper will make $2.5 million in 2015 and $5 million in 2016, according to CBS's Jon Heyman.

Last season, the 22-year-old Harper hit .273/.344/.423 with 13 home runs in 395 plate appearances, missing time with a thumb injury. After taking the league by storm with a Rookie of the Year campaign as a 19-year-old, Harper followed that up with an All-Star 2013 season, posting a .854 OPS and hitting 22 home runs. He has missed 129 games over three seasons in the big leagues. But when healthy, the youngster has certainly lived up to his five-tool potential.

When the Nationals picked Harper first overall in 2010, they and agent Scott Boras negotiated a contract that, according to Boras, would give Harper the right to opt out of his prescribed 2015 salary of $1.5 million in favor of arbitration. Washington, however, were adamant that no such clause was part of the deal. Harper even missed the team's annual fan rally last weekend, making the stand-off even more worrisome for Nationals fans. They should breathe a sigh of relief now that the two sides have managed to work out a reasonable deal.