Rachel Hill highlights Chicago Cubs MLBbro pitcher Marcus Stroman, who is releasing a series of books in July 2023 to inspire kids. The first two editions are ‘The Grip’ and ‘The Spin’
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 Continues to Dominate NL With Third Rookie of the Month Award
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.
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.
As Jordan Walker sunk his head into his hands after hearing that he had made the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster, the 20-year-old was nearly speechless, realizing the hard work had paid off.
“I’m Ready To Try And Make The Team” | St. Louis Cardinals Top Prospect Jordan Walker Is Playing For Keeps This Spring
Full Story: https://t.co/VEUqAE1r4y pic.twitter.com/b0ZO20T2Yc
— MLBbro.com (@MLBbrodotcom) February 23, 2023
Just three years removed from playing at Decatur (Georgia) High School, where he was a Gatorade Player of the Year, and getting selected 21st overall in the 2020 Draft, the expectations have always been high for the MLBbro.
“We were always very high on him coming into camp, and he did a lot of things to impress a lot of people,” president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told MLB.com. “He’s obviously a very mature player and has a great understanding of the game. He opened up a lot of eyes here in this camp, and he is someone who benefited from other people not being here [due to the World Baseball Classic].”
“It created a lot of at-bats and innings for him, and he made the most of it.”
The Cardinals’ No. 1 prospect, Walker has lived up to the hype, and at 20 years old and 312 days, Walker could potentially be the second youngest Cardinal to make his Major League debut on Opening Day, behind Steve Carlton in 1965, who was 20 years and 111 days old. He’ll also set his sights on becoming the first St. Louis MLBbro since Bake McBride (1974) and HBCU legend Vince Coleman (1981) to win the National League Rookie of the Year.
The young Black Knight is making the jump straight from Double-A Springfield to the big leagues after having success against the advanced competition in the Arizona Fall League. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder batted .277 with three homers, two doubles, and nine RBI over 20 games this fall.
Although his primary position has been third base in the Minors, with Nolan Arenado at the hot corner for the Cards’ Walker began making the transition to the grass in 2022.
He played a total of 31 games in the outfield, tallying 10 assists, two double plays, and just one error over 61 total chances. He continued to excel in spring training, taking all of his reps in the outfield. Walker showed off another tool in his utility belt in the AFL, unleashing a 99.5 mph — harder than any throw by a Cardinals outfielder in the Statcast era — missile to the plate from left field that nearly added to his assist highlight reel.
Walker’s prosperous start to fall camp saw him leading the Grapefruit League in batting average (.452), slugging (.839), OPS (1.291), total bases (26), and hits (14), and he was tied for first in extra-base hits (six) by March 10. But his remarkable numbers weren’t the deciding factor on whether or not he’d be staying in the Majors for Opening Day.
An #MLBbro you’ll need to know for the 2023 season is 20-year-old and #STLCards top prospect Jordan Walker.
The young stud has made the Opening Day roster and will be a lot of fun to watch for years to come. @MLBbrodotcom pic.twitter.com/V56OQRl8PA
— Ethan Sands (@EjElite1) March 26, 2023
“We can talk about tools all day, but those don’t play if you can’t handle some pressure,” manager Oliver Marmol told MLB.com. “This is not the degree of the pressure that he’ll experience at the big league level, but it’s still an example of the most [pressure] he’s had to [deal with] around the big league club. So, you’re just keeping an eye on that and seeing how he responds, and I feel like he did that well.”
Fresh out of high school, Walker didn’t get the same experience of a first-round draft pick as previous young stars because of the global pandemic. He and his family toured the Cardinals’ facilities this past January for the first time, but his father Derek described the scene as a “ghost town.”
That scene changed as all eyes were on Walker this fall to see him succeed or bust. With poise, the youngster can let the world go quiet and handle his business.
“Before I told him, I asked him what his best tool was and what was the greatest thing he brings to the table,” Marmol said. “I was curious if he would say something along the lines of, ‘My bat’ or something like that, and he said, ‘I don’t think about things very long; good or bad, I just kind of move on to the next thing.’
“That affirmed why he’s ready,” Marmol said. “That’s the separator. To get to the big leagues, yes, you’ve got to be able to hit, but when things get tough and you face adversity and people start to question your ability, can you cancel out the noise and keep doing your job? I think he has that ability.”
It won’t be a ghost town today at Busch Stadium for the start of the season, but with as many as 15 friends, family members, and youth coaches in attendance, it’s only right that Walker makes some noise of his own.
MLBbro.com reporter Malik Wright talks to Texas Rangers second baseman MLBbro Marcus Semien about the 2023 season and how he will approach MLBs new rule changes.
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