Michael Harris II’s stats have declined steadily since rookie year, but Braves still believe

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ATLANTA — When the Braves signed center fielder Michael Harris II to an eight-year, $72 million contract extension in August 2022, at age 21 and less than three months after his major-league debut, neither the team nor the personable Atlanta-area native envisioned things going quite like they have.

But it’s difficult enough to predict how the early years of a career will go for a player so young, who signed out of high school and was brought to the majors after playing just 43 minor-league games above the Single-A level and none in Triple A. Add injuries to the equation, including back and hamstring strains, and, well, things can go sideways.

So here we are in his fourth season. Harris, who surpassed all expectations as a rookie in 2022 when he hit .297 with 19 home runs, 20 stolen bases and an .853 OPS in 114 games — easily outdistancing teammate Spencer Strider to win NL Rookie of the Year — has seen his offensive statistics decline every season since.

Harris’ OPS and OPS+ in each season:

2022: .853 and 133 in 114 games

2023: .808 and 116 in 138 games

2024: .722 and 99 in 110 games

2025: .564 and 57 in 36 games

What those stats don’t show is the impact Harris has defensively even during the worst of his hitting slumps. No small matter. He’s an elite defender in center field. Which is why, if he’s healthy, he stays in the lineup regardless.

He’s played every game this season, including Wednesday, when Harris went 1-for-4 with a two-out ninth-inning single in a 4-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds that ended the Braves’ three-game winning streak. It was just their sixth loss in 18 games after a 5-13 start.

Harris’ hit was a 108 mph opposite-field drive — the third-hardest ball of the game — against Reds closer Emilio Pagán, who struck out pinch hitter Eddie Rosario to end the game.

Harris also had a tying RBI double in the ninth inning Tuesday against the Reds in a 2-1, 10-inning Atlanta win. Braves manager Brian Snitker said he hoped that hit, plus a lineout to center field Harris had in his previous plate appearance, were things he could build off, after recent work Harris has done trying to get going at the plate.

aaaand this game is TIED!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/GbGGMRn0rA

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 7, 2025

He’s 5-for-40 (.125) with no walks in his past 10 games, albeit with three doubles, seven RBIs and two steals in that stretch.

“It’s timing and just being in a good position to hit, no matter what pitch is coming,” Harris said of his focus in recent afternoon hitting sessions with Braves coaches. “Just getting here and doing the early work and doing everything in the cage before the game to really try to get some results. Sometimes it shows, sometimes it doesn’t.

“But like I always say, in baseball, you can do everything right and still get out, and you can do everything wrong and get a hit. So it’s like, sometimes you’d just rather be lucky than good.”

Regardless of his puny .216 batting average, Harris can and does impact games in multiple ways, Snitker said.

“Absolutely,” the manager said. “With the defense, the arm, his legs, running the bases. And I think guys like him understand that and that’s what kind of keeps them going. And he’s got a good support staff down there offensively. Our hitting (coaches) are doing a great job with him.”

Harris has walked once in 82 plate appearances over his past 20 games. He’s hit .204 in his past 26 games, with five doubles, two homers and 18 RBIs in that span along with seven stolen bases without being caught.

There have been plenty of wins when he’s made an impact with his bat and otherwise.

“If I, like, beat out the double-play groundball, and I can steal second, (someone can) get a hit and I score,” Harris said. “It’s different ways to impact the game, it’s not just always getting a hit. It’s really just doing the little things, hustling, putting pressure on the other team.”

Still, he’s hoping to see more hits to fall with better, more consistent contact he’s made after doing early work throughout this homestand with Braves hitting coaches.

“The other day I had balls 110 and 112 (mph) that I got outs on,” Harris said of two hard-luck line drives. “So it felt like I’m still finding ways to get a barrel to it. But there’s been some I just clipped and just missed. So that’s why I’ve been working the past week on being in a good position to hit and timing.

“That’s all it really ever is with hitters. As long as you’re on time, you can make the right move to a ball. But if you’re off time just a little bit, the results don’t show. It’s been better, aside from the first two at-bats (Tuesday). I was just a little tense, and the next two, I just had to relax.”

Harris referenced two strikeouts he had earlier in Tuesday’s game, including one with two out and Eli White on second base. That gave him consecutive two-strikeout games, after he’d struck out only four times in the previous 15 games.

Making contact hasn’t been the issue, it’s been making consistent hard contact. Tuesday’s last two at-bats were encouraging for Harris and the coaches he’s been working with at Truist Park, well before regular batting practice.

“They’ve been working a lot, and they were out hitting early (Tuesday), so it’s good to see progress,” Snitker said. “I know when they’re talking and trying to do things, and guys get some feedback on it. It’s good and a credit to him. I mean, he’s putting a lot into it. Because it’s not easy, it is a rough thing to do. And we know how talented he is.

“He’ll stay after it, keep making his adjustments, and we know what kind of runs he can get on when he gets hot.”

After getting past early-season back and knee injuries in 2023, Harris heated up in June and batted .335 with a .912 OPS in his final 100 games, racking up 29 doubles, three triples, 16 homers and 15 stolen bases in that torrid stretch.

Last summer, after returning Aug. 14 from a two-month IL stint for a Grade 2 hamstring strain, Harris hit .292 with 11 homers, 28 RBIs and an .858 OPS in 38 games before going hitless in three of the final five games of the season.

Despite his sluggish start this season, the most important thing for the Braves and Harris is that he’s healthy. He’s played every game and wants to be in the lineup every day as long as he’s fit to play, much like first baseman Matt Olson, who’s not missed a game since being traded to the Braves before the 2022 season.

“Yeah, I hated it last year — well, the past couple of years — when I was down and had to rehab and watch the games,” Harris said. “I was just itching to get back out there and there was nothing I could do to get back out there. So I’d definitely rather be out on the field playing.”

Snitker doesn’t seem inclined to sit him as long as Harris is healthy. Although when right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. returns from a yearlong rehab from knee surgery — likely within the next 3-4 weeks — the Braves might want to consider playing hot-hitting White some in center field or left field to keep him in the lineup if White continues producing like he has since becoming a lineup regular April 23.

The left-handed hitting Harris is 4-for-30 (.133) against lefties, and left-handed-hitting left fielder Alex Verdugo is 0-for-7 against lefties, after hitting .228 with a .592 OPS in 192 plate appearances against lefties in 2024 with the Yankees.

It’s a tiny sample, but White is 4-for-14 (.286) with two doubles against lefties.

Harris only turned 24 in March, and the Braves still believe he has Gold Gloves and stardom in his future.

“I mean, his defense has been spectacular,” Snitker said. “All that — base running, the whole thing. I mean, I think it’s fun to play the game when you’re healthy and you’re talented like that.”

(Photo: Brett Davis / Imagn Images)

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