Among the players of the Atlanta Braves that are regarded as among the greatest in MLB at their position are Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Spencer Strider.
But after the 2024 season, if one of Atlanta’s rising stars has his way, he’ll be talking about it.
Michael Harris II, a centerfielder, has high expectations for the 2024 season. If he meets them, he will be among the best players in baseball in his position.
In an interview with Mark Bowman of MLB.com, Harris outlined his goals:
“My ultimate goal is to become an All-Star and secure the Gold Glove,” expressed Harris. “Take home the World Series victory. Purchase a Silver Slugger.
Indeed, it does seem like a lot. But is it really?
Think about this: Harris had a fantastic second half of the 2023 season following early season injuries that included a back injury that necessitated a trip on the injured list and a knee injury that he managed to play through.
Following a motivational speech by , on June 7th, Harris hit.335/.360/.552 in 100 games, including 16 home runs and 15 stolen bases. This performance continued until the end of the season.
The outfield Silver Sluggers for 2023, if you were curious: Ronald Acuña Jr (who could very well repeat), Mookie Betts (now a shortstop in Los Angeles), and Juan Soto (now in the American League)
There’s an opening there for Harris.
The Gold Glove winner in centerfield for the National League was Colorado’s Brenton Doyle, who graded out as the best outfield defender in baseball last year. But he also hit only .203 last season, striking out over 150 times in his 121 games and finishing with an OPS+ of only 52. He’s not a lock to stay up in the majors all season owing to that anemic offense, although exceptional defenders do frequently get longer leashes from managers.
