“That’s kind of the tale of the two guys,” said Phillies special assistant Howie Kendrick, Trout’s teammate in Anaheim and Harper’s in Washington. “The team that’s built around Bryce is a really good team when you couple that with a player of his caliber. If Mike had the same pieces around him, I’m pretty sure he’d thrive, too.”

And here’s the kicker: Harper is crafting his legacy in Trout’s backyard.

Trout famously grew up in Millville, N.J., 45 miles south of Philadelphia. Fans have longed for him to request a trade to his hometown Phillies — WIP-FM (94.1) even created a petition (hashtag: #askouttrout). But people who know Trout insist he’s committed to the Angels.

So, as Trout and Harper reconvene Monday night — 12 years and one day after they arrived in the majors for good — for a three-game series in Anaheim, The Philadelphia Inquirer sought perspective from several of their mutual teammates to learn what they’re like behind the scenes and what drives them to be great.

Different styles, same goals

Brandon Marsh isn’t ashamed to admit it. At times, first with the Angels and later with the Phillies, he felt awestruck playing alongside Trout and Harper.

“The honest answer is yes,” Marsh said. “I looked up to those two guys and still do. Being able to share a field with those guys and wear the same jersey as they did, it was super special. It’s like a dream for me.”

Imagine, then, sharing an outfield with both of them.

In 2011, when they were ranked by Baseball America as the No. 3 and No. 1 prospects in baseball, respectively, Trout and Harper played center field and left field for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League.

“Hopefully someday,” said right fielder Alex Hassan, teeing up a punch line, “the three of us will be inducted together into the AFL Hall of Fame as the most successful outfield trinity in history.”

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