After a 4-4 performance (with a homer), Atlanta Braves star rookie Michael Harris II has us wondering, how high is the ceiling?
The Atlanta Braves are 28-11 since Michael Harris II joined the club on May 28th. We will look at the damage June’s NL Rookie of the Month has done thus far compared to the rest of the league. All statistics cited are through 07/08/2022.
Michael Harris II Defensive Ranking Since Debut
Harris’ defensive metrics are off the charts. He’s a contender for a gold glove this year. Since his debut, Harris II ranks first among National League center fielders in Defensive Runs Above Average (Def) on Fangraphs.com
Michael Harris II WAR Ranking Since Debut
In that same time, Harris ranks 4th in fWAR just behind Dansby Swanson, Paul Goldschmidt, and Nolan Arenado.
Despite playing in only 39 games, Harris is tied with Matt Olson for sixth on the Braves with 1.7 rWAR.
Harris already ranks fifth among major-league centerfielders with 6 Outs Above Average (OAA) on baseballsavant.com.
Michael Harris II Offensive Rankings Since Debut
Keeping with the theme of looking at his stats relative to the rest of the league since his debut, Harris is 17th in the MLB in isolated power, ranking ahead of Joc Pederson and C.J. Cron.
Despite hitting ninth in the lineup, Harris is sixth in runs scored.
The rookie has driven in 24 runs since his debut, placing him 11th in the MLB, tied with Pete Alonso and Nolan Arenado. He has more RBI in that timespan than sluggers such as Juan Soto, Rowdy Tellez, and Freddie Freeman.
His slugging percentage is .542, good for 23rd best in all of baseball. Since May 28th, that’s better than some notable monsters such as Pete Alonso, Nolan Arenado, Vlad Guerrero Jr., and Anthony Rizzo, to name a few.
We recently covered his base-stealing prowess and how the Braves wanted to ease him into major league pitching. Even so, Harris is tied for sixth in steals since his debut, sharing the slot with Trea Turner and Christian Yelich.
Harris’ swing covers the whole plate and has shown the ability to go to the opposite field with authority. However, Harris has found his success by staying centered and driving the ball up the middle.
Hitting it Hard – Since his debut, he ranks 32nd in hard-hit % in all of baseball. Harris currently boasts an 89.3 mph average exit velocity. That’s just behind Acuna Jr.’s 89.7 mph.
Hitting it up the Middle – So on top of hitting the ball hard, he’s been consistently driving it up the middle of the field. 46.4% of his batted balls are in the center of the diamond, that’s the highest rate in all of baseball, since May 28th.
Hitting Hard Up the Middle!
#Braves' Michael Harris sent this one to straightaway center for his sixth @TheRomeBraves homer. pic.twitter.com/Y28RBDw3rt
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 8, 2021
Michael Harris ties the game at 1 a piece with a 439 feet bomb to center! pic.twitter.com/uNArnKFKGQ
— Atlanta Braves Radio Network (@BravesRadioNet) July 8, 2022
I hope this helps put his performance in perspective. Stay hot kid!
What do you think his stats will look like at the end of the year? Will he win the Rookie of the Year or will his numbers come crashing down? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.