For much of the summer, Michael Harris II’s bat felt like it had gone quiet. A 1-for-34 slump left the Braves’ center fielder searching for answers, and his numbers hovered below the expectations set by his 2022 Rookie of the Year campaign.
He did have a surge in August as well after some batting stance changes. But over the last two weeks, Harris rediscovered his rhythm, closing the season with a burst of production that underscores his role in Atlanta’s future.
In his last 11 games, Harris hit .340 with two home runs and six RBIs, raising his season totals to the brink of another 20-homer, 90-RBI campaign. That turnaround, combined with his defensive value, has given the Braves reason to feel secure about his place in their 2026 lineup.
Growth Still Needed at the Plate
The surge shouldn’t erase the struggles that defined Harris’s year. His walk rate slipped to just 2.6%, a career low and well below the MLB average of 8.4%. That lack of patience often forced him into pitcher-friendly counts and contributed to stretches of weak contact.
Still, Harris kept his strikeout rate stable at 18.5%, suggesting that his issues weren’t about swing-and-miss so much as pitch selection. Braves hitting coaches credited a mechanical adjustment — bringing his hands quicker to the ball — for his September rebound.
As FanGraphs shows, Harris’s hard-hit rate climbed back above 40% during the stretch, a sign that the adjustment worked. The next step will be pairing that contact ability with improved discipline.
Defensive Anchor in Center
Even when Harris struggled at the plate, his defense remained elite. Baseball Savant rates him among the top center fielders in Outs Above Average, with range and jumps that continue to impact games.
That reliability in center is part of what makes Harris so valuable. The Braves don’t need him to carry the offense — not with Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and Austin Riley anchoring the lineup — but they do need him to stabilize the outfield defensively. His glove guarantees his floor, while his bat determines how high his ceiling rises.
A Reminder of His Ceiling
It’s easy to forget that Harris is still just 24 years old. His Rookie of the Year campaign set a bar — .297/.339/.514 with 19 homers in 2022 — that raised expectations almost overnight. His 2025 season, by contrast, has been uneven, but the September surge shows that the tools remain intact.
Manager Brian Snitker has urged perspective. “He doesn’t have to be 30 and 100 every year to be a winning player,” Snitker said. “He could be part of a really good lineup.”
That framing matters. Harris doesn’t need to be Atlanta’s offensive centerpiece. He needs to be a reliable contributor who extends the lineup, brings speed on the bases, and plays Gold Glove defense in center. If his September is any indication, he can still check all those boxes.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The Braves’ 2026 outlook depends on stabilizing multiple areas of the roster, from bullpen depth to middle infield clarity. Harris isn’t part of those question marks. Instead, he represents a foundational piece whose development continues to shape the roster’s ceiling.
If Harris can carry his September approach into next season, refining his patience while maintaining the defensive excellence, Atlanta will be positioned to reap the rewards. His slump may have defined much of 2025, but his finish was a reminder: Michael Harris II still looks like part of the Braves’ long-term core.
