This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat e-newsletter. To learn the total e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it recurrently in your inbox.
ATLANTA — Despite the fact that Michael Harris II ranks as one in every of baseball’s least productive offensive gamers this 12 months, Braves hitting coach Tim Hyers stays assured the 24-year-old middle fielder can rapidly regain the promise he had when he received the 2022 Nationwide League Rookie of the 12 months Award.
“I feel if he can maintain his posture, clear up a number of issues mechanically after which get again to getting balls within the strike zone, I feel this factor can flip round in a heartbeat,” Hyers mentioned. “He has it in him. He’s tremendous proficient.”
There was a preseason sense that if Harris prevented the damage bug that bit him the previous couple seasons, he is likely to be able to hitting 30-plus homers and stealing no less than 30 bases. However he has as an alternative endured a nightmare season to this point. His struggles led to him being disregarded of the lineup for Saturday and Sunday’s video games in opposition to the Phillies. And it wasn’t simply because Philadelphia began a left-hander in each of those video games.
“Possibly, one thing like this does calm issues down for him,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker mentioned. “That’s what I’m hoping.”
Harris entered this 12 months having hit .285 with a .794 OPS by 362 profession video games (1,450 plate appearances). There was loads of cause for optimism. Simply 9 different Braves have produced a .790-plus OPS over no less than 1,400 plate appearances by their 23-year-old season.
These gamers are: Eddie Mathews, Ronald Acuña Jr., Hank Aaron, Bob Horner, Andruw Jones, Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Joe Torre and Jason Heyward. Not dangerous firm.
However Harris has struggled mightily this 12 months, hitting .212 with six dwelling runs and a .558 OPS. His OPS ranks final amongst MLB’s 159 certified gamers.
“I’ve had occasions previously the place I used to be struggling, however got here out of just a little faster than proper now,” Harris mentioned. “So yeah, us dropping and being on this scenario is not the most effective. However, nonetheless received three months left.”
There’s actually a necessity to change the mechanics. Harris’ averaged launch angle has dropped from 7.6 levels in 2023 and seven.5 in 2024 to five.6 levels this 12 months. This indicators a special swing airplane. Extra importantly, it has led to a downgrade in high quality contact.
Groundball price: 52.5% (2025), 49.4% (2024), 47.2% (2023)Arduous-hit price: 40.2% (2025), 47% (2024), 48.5% (2023)Barrel price: 6.1%( 2025), 10% (2024), 10% (2023)
“I might say it is extra [about] plate self-discipline,” Harris mentioned. “I imply, mechanics are going to be there. They don’t seem to be going to alter that a lot. You simply must lock it in on what location you need and search for one thing you’ll be able to hit.”
Pitches within the zone: 49.2% (2025), 51.5% (2024)Chase Fee (swings vs. pitches exterior the zone): 42.3% (2025), 39.6% (2024)
Harris entered Sunday ranked within the backside two percentile in Chase Fee and he hasn’t drawn a stroll in his previous 130 plate appearances. This dates again to Could 18, when he drew a stroll in consecutive plate appearances at Fenway Park.
“There’s little doubt the needle can transfer in his route, and we will get much less chase,” Hyers mentioned. “It is like each participant who’s type of in his personal head and it spirals and also you begin overthinking it. It will get magnified and begins consuming them. This typically results in you telling your self to not chase and you find yourself chasing extra. He’s received to determine that’s the rising pains of a younger participant.”
Harris’ first full skilled season was 2021 and he received his ROY honor the next 12 months. That is his third full large league season, however he’s nonetheless younger and nonetheless growing offensively.
A number of days off offered him to realize a psychological break and a chance to look himself within the mirror and notice it’s time to make the modifications essential to regain the large promise he confirmed earlier than this season.
