This season, there’s no question that Michael Harris II will be an impact player for the Atlanta Braves.
The five-tool phenom showed his multitude of abilities by going 1-for-4 with two runs scored in a 7-2 Braves win on Opening Day of the 2023 MLB season.
The reigning National League Rookie of the Year has the potential to become an all-star very soon. If you had the opportunity to see him play last season, you know that he’s a baller and leaves it all out on the field.
The question is, will Harris be able to continue the success he had as a rookie in year two? Well one former Atlanta Braves player, now starting for the LA Dodgers, thinks Harris will continue to play at a high level and make an impact.
Let’s take it back to 2010 when a former Braves player named Jason Heyward made his MLB debut and took the league by storm as a rookie. Heyward was named an all-star as a rookie and was poised to be a star in Atlanta. In fact, Hank Aaron himself, anointed the J-Hey Kid as the next great Black superstar for the Atlanta Braves.
Heyward was only named an all-star once during his five-year tenure in Atlanta and while he put up decent numbers, the Braves decided to move on from him after the 2014 season. While his career is widely respected, especially his defense and clubhouse pedigree, Heyward’s peak was never superstar level. Harris has the opportunity to have a long career playing for the team he grew up watching as a kid.
Michael Harris II Can Show Rookie Season Was No Fluke
Going into his second season, Harris will have the knowledge and experience he gained from his rookie season and that will work out in his favor. He finished his rookie season hitting .297 with 19 home runs, 64 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. And he’s already got a taste of the postseason as well.
Marvin Freeman, a former MLB pitcher, spent time with the Braves and was a part of two teams that went to the World Series. Freeman and Harris have a strong bond, as Harris played for Freeman when he was a young teenager. And Freeman knew then that Harris was a talented ball player.
“Everything he did on the field stood out to me,” Freeman said of Harris, who he thought was going to be drafted out of high school as a pitcher.
Freeman believes Harris will continue to show why he’s one of the best young talents in the game.
“I see no problem with him having another good season and maintaining those numbers,” Freeman said. “He doesn’t let success change who he is.”
Getting those games under his belt as a rookie, will certainly pay off for Harris going into his second season.
MLBbro Money Mike Harris Is Next Up
When you think of MLBbros who have dominated during their career, names like Mookie Betts, Tim Anderson, and Marcus Semien come to mind.
Don’t be surprised to hear Michael Harris II come up in that conversation in a few years. The sky’s the limit for this brother and the Atlanta Braves made the right choice in selecting him in the 2019 draft. The path to the big show is a difficult one, and many who reach it to the big leagues don’t have much success, but Harris is on a trajectory for an All-Star studded career that will be remembered for years to come. He is also very marketable and is already leaving a deep impression on aspiring MLBbros and fans of all over the world.
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