The jump from High-A baseball to AA is significant — one that a lot of minor-league players tend to struggle with. But Michael Harris has proven throughout his brief professional career that he’s not your typical ballplayer. He’s one of the best rising prospects in the game, and he’s showcased it through the first three weeks of the season with Mississippi.
A true five-tool player, Harris is doing it all. He’s flashed with the glove defensively in centerfield, stolen eight bases in just 18 games, and is hitting .316 to go along with a couple of homers, two triples, and five doubles.
What a catch by @Braves top prospect Michael Harris II for the @mbraves! pic.twitter.com/aJgjVkNUro
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 30, 2022
https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1519484372071690245
This was the season where I thought we would really find out just how legit Michael Harris is as a prospect, and he’s checking all of the boxes as loudly as possible.
So far, throughout his minor-league career, the Braves have taken things slowly with him. Even after starting last season blazing hot in High-A, they kept Harris in Rome for the entire season. I imagine they take a similar path with him in 2022; however, if Harris continues to improve at this rate over the next couple of months, I’m not sure how they don’t promote him to Gwinnett.
For those wondering, I still think it’s extremely unlikely that Harris will make his major-league debut this season. With the emergence of Travis Demeritte and the return of Acuña, the Braves outfield is full, especially once Eddie Rosario returns. Additionally, Drew Waters is on his way back, and he will most likely get a crack in Atlanta before Harris does. What Harris has done so far is nothing short of amazing, but he’s still just a freshly turned 21-year-old with minimal minor-league experience. The Braves are going to let him continue to pad his confidence this season, but at some point in 2023, I expect to see him debut in Atlanta.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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