The Atlanta Braves have quite a few stellar defenders on the roster, and the numbers certainly back that up. Entering Tuesday, Atlanta ranks sixth in MLB in Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and seventh in Outs Above Average (OAA).
Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, and Mauricio Dubon have all been some of the top defenders at their respective positions. However, one of those players faces a huge obstacle to winning a Gold Glove once the season finally wraps up and it is completely outside of his control.
Michael Harris II is a massive underdog to win a Gold Glove due to Pete Crow-Armstrong's out of this world defense
Michael Harris II is a complete player and a dark horse MVP candidate thanks to his bounce-back season at the plate. With Money Mike, it is easy to overlook his defense because it has been so consistently stellar since he debuted. This season, Harris II is on pace to surpass his season high in OAA (8 set in 2025), yet it likely will not be enough to claim the Gold Glove for National League center fielders.
Unfortunately for Harris, the best defensive center fielder in baseball plays in the National League, and beating him for any defensive awards will be a tall task. Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs isn't just the best NL center fielder; he has an argument for the claim of being the best defensive player at any position in baseball.
Crow-Armstrong ranks in the 100th percentile in Fielding Run Value (FRV), Arm Value, and OAA. His 13 OAA ranks second in all of baseball, trailing only Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals. For comparison, Harris II currently has six OAA, a mark that still places him in the 95th percentile.
PCA creates this gap in the field thanks to the numerous highlight plays he racks up. The Cubs' center fielder and Harris II rank first and second, respectively, in four-star catches (catches with a 26-50% catch probability). However, PCA has a decisive lead in five-star catches which are catches with a 0-25% catch probability. PCA is six out of nine in his five-star catch opportunities; meanwhile, MH2 is zero out of two in his five-star catch opportunities.
PCA and MH2 will battle for years to come, but ultimately, the Cubs center fielder has the leg up in the outfield for now. Harris II would be a multi-time Gold Glove winner in many other eras, but he is battling what is sure to be one of the best defenders we have ever seen. Unless an unexpected trade sends PCA to the AL, it will be tough sledding for Money Mike on any future defensive awards.
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