On the broadcast during the Braves‘ disappointing 7-6 loss to the measly Mets on Sunday Night Baseball, Michael Harris was given the mic to answer some questions while he was in centerfield. One of the things he was asked was who his favorite player was while he was in high school, to which he gave an answer that is almost too good to be true.
MICHAEL HARRIS II JUST SAID RONALD ACUÑA JR WAS HIS FAVORITE PLAYER IN HIGH SCHOOL
"and now i play alongside him!"
HIGH SCHOOL
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 14, 2023
Harris was taken in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Stockbridge High School, which is less than an hour away from Truist Park. He grew up a Braves fan, and like most of us, quickly fell in love with the superstar talent that is Ronald Acuña Jr.
Acuña made his MLB debut in 2018 as a 20-year-old, running away with the NL Rookie of the Year award and finishing 12th in the NL MVP race, despite only playing in 112 games. The following season, which is the year Harris was drafted, Acuña hit 41 homers and came just three steals shy of joining the elusive 40/40 club.
Three years later, Harris would join his favorite baseball player in the outfield. Coincidentally, he also won the NL Rookie of the Year award that season, becoming the ninth member of the Braves to take home the award.
Alex always likes to say, “Ronald Acuña Jr. is your favorite player’s favorite player.” There are plenty of kids right now pretending to be Michael Harris in the backyard, and even though they are only three years apart in age, it wasn’t long ago that Harris was hoping to become just like his favorite player, and now teammate, Ronald Acuña Jr. It’s a story that almost seems too surreal to be true.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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