Michael Harris II Continues to Struggle at the Plate

Harris hasn’t just regressed. He’s been a complete liability at the plate day in and day out. His -13 batting run value is tied with Andrew Vaughn for the third-worst among all qualified big league hitters. This is certainly concerning for a guy that the Braves committed serious money to and have under contract for at least five more years after this one. So what could explain this spiral from the dynamic fan favorite?

Plate Discipline Hasn’t Improved

Harris has always been a free-swinging, strikeout-prone hitter, but there was some hope that we would see improved swing decisions at this point in his development. That hasn’t been the case whatsoever. The 38.6% chase rate is slightly down from last year, but still in the bottom five percent of MLB. This has predictably resulted in the typical high strikeout rates, and the 4.3% walk rate is still right around his career average.

Despite all the swing and miss in his game, Harris has historically made loud contact when he does connect. However, this year, he hasn’t been much of a threat when putting the ball in play. The Decatur, Georgia, native is currently posting career-low hard hit rates, barrel rates, and exit velocities. In particular, he is having trouble catching up to the fastball, which has been a strength in the past. Harris’ xwOBA against fastballs has dropped from .359 in 2024 to .314 this year, and his xSLG from .472 to .413.

Making Up For It In Other Ways

Harris’ elite sprint speed is also a weapon. He is taking advantage of chances when he does reach base, racking up ten steals already to match last year’s total in just over half the amount of games. It’s clear that if Harris ever figures it out at the plate, we could be looking at a five-tool superstar given his special traits in other areas. Unfortunately, that will continue to be a dream for the time being as Braves Country awaits the breakout.