ATLANTA — Major League Baseball named Michael Harris II the National League Rookie Player of the Month after an impressive start to his professional career.
The rookie from Stockbridge, Georgia recorded a .347 batting average with 16 RBIs, four home runs and four steals in 27 games in June.
Harris became the first Atlanta Braves player to receive the rookie of the month honor since Austin Riley in 2019.
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The Braves called up their No. 1 prospect Harris on May 28. Atlanta needed a spark in the outfield and the lineup this year, especially with Ronald Acuna Jr. slowly getting back to full strength.
Harris grew up just 40 miles southeast of Truist Park and graduated from Stockbridge High School. His journey to the bigs has been a memorable one. Channel 2′s Alison Mastrangelo caught up with Harris to see how he’s adjusting to life in the major leagues.
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Harris told Mastrangelo that he is feeling more settled in the clubhouse, but he still can’t believe he’s playing for the 2021 World Series Champions.
“I didn’t expect being up here this early,” he said. “Just doing what I can at the plate.”
Besides his natural baseball ability, fans also noticed that Harris has brought something else with him from double aa ball with the Mississippi Braves and that’s his colorful head bands.
“I kind of go through a rotation based on how I am feeling that day or whatever color I feel like wearing,” Harris said.
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But it’s not just the flashy head bands that are catching fans’ eyes. It’s also the flashy defensive plays that he makes in the outfield. They even make former Braves All-Star outfielder and 10-time gold glover Andruw Jones say woah.
It’s even landed Harris several appearances on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays, which Harris admits is strange to see so soon in his career.
“It is but I plan on seeing myself many more times if I keep doing what I’m doing.”
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