The Atlanta Braves are lucky to have one of the most talented center fielders in all of baseball. Michael Harris II burst onto the scene a couple of years ago and was impressed with his defense initially. However, fans soon learned that he was pretty good with a bat as well.
Harris batted .297 in his debut season in 2022 and continued that in 2023 with a .293 average. He hit 15+ home runs in both of those years as well. It was impressive to see.
Unfortunately, Mike hasn't been able to replicate that same success in 2024. Most of that is due to injuries causing him to miss significant time. He's appeared in 94 games for Atlanta this season and has a .245 average with 11 homers and 37 RBI. His average isn't too bad but the on-base and slugging percentage this year is down severely.
When Harris returned from the IL on August 24th after missing two months, the Braves expected to get a huge boost from their talented outfielder. Things looked promising early on as he hit a home run in his first at-bat against the Giants in his first game back.
However, it didn't last long and his production for the team hasn't been what the team hoped for. Since his return, Mike has slashed .243/.267/.432 with six home runs, 17 RBI, three walks, 28 strikeouts, and a .700 OPS.
Michael Harris II is going to be a gamechanger for the @Braves for years to come 🔥@MoneyyyMikeee 💸 pic.twitter.com/nea4jjitcX
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 8, 2024
For a lead-off bat to have an on-base percentage of .267 is a terrible thing for the Braves. He is meant to set the tone for the game and get on the basepaths as often as possible. He would give the Braves a chance to take advantage of trying to steal bases as that is something the team has not done enough of in 2024.
It hasn't been all bad from Harris since his return as his defense has proven more useful than his bat on a few occasions. Although, he's shown some signs of life during the last two games against the Nationals as he's 5-for-10 with one double, two homers, and two RBI. Hopefully, that is a good sign of things to come from MHII.
Harris' advanced metrics show he's exceeding when it comes to his hard-hit percentage (44.9%) and bat speed (74.5). His biggest flaws are chase and walk percentages which sit in the third and eighth percentile respectively. He's been absolutely horrible at chasing pitches and not working the count to get on base.
His saving grace has been his elite defense as Mike carries an OAA of 7 which is in the 92nd percentile among all baseball players. His arm strength and value sit in the mid-70 percentile among all big leaguers so he's giving the Braves everything they wanted defensively but it's been a season to forget offensively.
Hopefully, Mike can turn things around soon and find the success he found in his first two seasons. The Braves desperately need someone to go on a hot streak as no one has taken up that mantle this season outside of Marcell Ozuna.
The Braves begin a huge series against the Dodgers on Friday and will need everyone to be at their very best for the four-game series. Harris could be a huge spark plug for the team if he pulls everything together.