Michael Harris II’s rookie campaign was so impressive, recording 5.1 WAR in just 114 games, that he was being thrown around as a dark horse MVP candidate very early in his career.
The tools are what attracted the masses. Defensively, he’s as good as anybody in center field, capable of winning multiple Gold Glove awards in the future. He has the speed to swipe 30 bags, hit nearly .300 as a rookie, and flashes enough power from time to time to suggest he could explode for 30+ home runs in any given season. Put it all together, and a potential MVP-worthy campaign isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
Unfortunately, as the league began to gather more information on Harris’ tendencies — most notably, his absolute refusal to walk — struggles followed. From 2023-2025, Harris was still a damn good player, averaging 3.0 WAR per season while posting a .733 OPS. But it always felt like there was so much potential still left untapped.
The beginning of the 2026 campaign is what that looks like. Despite a somewhat cool start, Harris has exploded over the last few weeks, hitting .357 with five home runs and an OPS north of 1.000 over his last 21 games. His average is now up to .321 on the season to go along with six homers and 1.3 WAR, which is already more than halfway to his total from last season.
Speaking of the 2025 campaign, Harris’ revival actually began in the second half, when he made a slight adjustment by raising his hands in the box.
I noted Michael Harris’s stance change on 7/18 of last year. Since that day, he is up to a .296 (14th in MLB)/.318/.516 (18th) slash line across 89 games with a 182 WRC+ and 19 HR, 2.7 WAR. Incredible sign for Atlanta that Harris has reinvented himself at the dish https://t.co/rDCowHF3Xg
— Brady Penn (@bradypenn21) April 22, 2026
Incredible numbers, and the advanced analytics suggest this isn’t just some lucky start.
Notable Michael Harris 2026 Statcast Numbers
- 99th percentile xwOBA
- 99th percentile xBA
- 99th percentile xSLG
- 95th percentile Average Exit Velocity
- 96th percentile Barrel %
- 94th percentile Hard-Hit %
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That’s the Statcast page of a player performing at an MVP-caliber level. Hell, even Harris’ walk rate is up to 6% — still below league average, but more than double where it sat a year ago (2.5%).
It looks like the key has finally been found for Harris to unlock his full potential, and his resurgence is a major reason the Braves have fielded the best offense in baseball through the first month — all while Ronald Acuña Jr. hasn’t come close to his expected level.
When that happens, a lineup featuring Ronald Acuña Jr., Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, and this version of Michael Harris is going to be extraordinarily difficult for any pitching staff to handle.
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(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
