The Braves’ centre fielder, AJ Smith-Shawver, one of their best pitching prospects, had a rough debut, but he looks ready to burst into stardom in his third season. Two home runs were given up by Smith-Shawver on sliders, both by respectable Philadelphia regulars. The bright side for AJ was that he was hitting fastballs over 99 mph and striking out three Phillies in two innings, which is encouraging in a small sample size. He also didn’t miss bats in the majors at the same rate as he did in the minors.
But after winning Rookie of the Year in his first season and having a more difficult second due to injuries and early offensive setbacks, Michael Harris II appears ready to advance even further. With his excellent baserunning and elite defence at a premium position, Harris gets off to a great start. However, because of injuries and early difficulties in his second season, his offence regressed. Based on his two major league seasons and his early-season performance, he shouldn’t have any trouble maintaining a 125 wRC+ or higher. If he does, he could easily produce at a level that would earn him MVP votes. Michael might enjoy a prosperous 2024.
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