Harris was one of three Minor League Baseball players to hit safely in Braves’ first 10 games. Harris is currently hitting.319 and has scored three doubles, two triples, and four stolen bases in 12 M-Braves games. After being named the Atlanta Braves Minor League Player of the Year in 2021 at Class-A Rome, and after spending much of spring training 2022 together with his parent club. Harris, baseball folks would say, has all the tools. The Atlanta native, 21 years old, can hit (one), hit power (two), field (3-3), throw (4-4), and run fast (5-5). Harris is a rare five-tool player. In fact, Harris actually has six. Harris can also pitch. Major League Baseball scouts saw him as a pitcher. He was not considered an everyday player. The Atlanta Braves drafted Harris in the third round of 2019. They quickly decided that he would be able to play every day and not just once every five days. Harris isn’t the first Michael Harris to show his baseball skills on a Mississippi diamond. His father, Michael Harris I (longtime Alcorn State baseball coach) was a star for the mid-80s. He was also versatile. Mike Harris, the elder Michael Harris, was a player at every position for the Alcorn Braves, except catcher. After retiring 26 batters in succession, he settled for a one-hit shutout against Rust college. He was a junior and helped the Alcorn Braves beat Alabama at Tuscaloosa. He was a good hitter. He could also run. He could run. In fact, he was playing semipro baseball in Atlanta at the age of 18 when an Alcorn State assistant coach called McGowan. He said that he had seen him and that he found one. The younger Harris grew up playing youth baseball in Gresham Park, an Atlanta suburb. At age 3, Harris’ younger brother began playing T-ball in the same park. The younger Harris began playing T-ball at the same park as his son, when he was 3. Harris I said, “Just trying to give back.” “Can’t get enough,” the elder Harris said. He couldn’t believe how many hours he spent at Gresham park, watching his son grow into a player that was highly recruited by colleges and signed a $548,000 bonus contract to the Braves. Although the son was promising in all youth leagues, the father believes that his son was most likely to be successful in high school, where he played for the high school team. Michael Harris I stated, “That was when the son really started to grow and put on some muscle.” “That was when you could really see his potential, see where he could be.” The junior Harris is now a 6-foot, 190-pound package of talent. He was laced with line drives deep into the opposing field during Thursday’s batting practice. The younger Harris bats left-handed but took a few turns on the right side of he plate without any noticeable falloff. He said, “I used switch hit.” Harris hit.294 last year with gap power, scoring 26 doubles, three triples and seven homers. As his strength improves, the Braves think Harris can be a 25-30 homerun guy. Brian Snitker is the former manager of the M-Braves and now oversees the World Champion Atlanta Braves. He was tremendously impressed by Harris in Florida this spring. Snitker said that he was all over Michael Harris to reporters. “I love that child. It’s difficult not to. This is what they look like. Harris just needs more experience.” The Braves want Harris to spend at most the season at Pearl. There is no doubt that Harris will be playing alongside Ronald Acuna Jr. in Braves’ outfield, possibly as early as 2023. Harris can play both the right and center fields, just like Acuna. The Mississippi Braves’ new manager Bruce Crabbe calls Harris “a true pro” and speaks highly of Harris’s talent and “his rare professionalism at such an early age.” He’s a smooth runner, it’s difficult to see how fast he is running but it’s very fast. He’s going to be stronger and hit the ball to all fields with great power. He needs to be reminded. He is so intelligent. He gets it.” Michael Harris II has always wanted to play for his hometown Braves team. He said that he realized how close he is to achieving his dream by playing for the Big League club this spring. He said, “I just have to put in the effort, and I will do that.” “I will be available whenever they feel they need me.