Atlanta Braves: Why I voted for Michael Harris II for NL Rookie of the Year

Deciding which of two Atlanta Braves teammates earned my vote for National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year was no easy feat. However, in the end, I cast my first-place vote for Michael Harris II over Spencer Strider. Here’s why.

Michael Harris II was a spark for the Atlanta Braves lineup, which earned him my vote for the National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year

To be perfectly honest, I had Strider as my first selection for Rookie of the Year for the vast majority of the season. That only intensified when I was sitting in the press box in Atlanta on September 1 when Strider set a franchise record by striking out 16 Colorado Rockies in eight innings as part of a 3-0 Atlanta victory. Part of Atlanta’s offensive output that night in support of Strider? A solo shot from Harris.

I remember going in the clubhouse that night and listening to Harris gush over what a fantastic pitcher Strider had become at the MLB level in such a short amount of time. I agreed with every word, both with what Strider provided on the mound as well as the respect he had built within the clubhouse during his time in Atlanta.

So what changed for me? Why did my vote flip from Strider to Harris? No, it had nothing to do with Strider’s injury at the end of the season. It did, however, have everything to do with what Harris gave to the Braves at the plate and in the field in the 114 games he played.

Harris logged a .297/.339/.514 slash line along with 19 homers, 64 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. Those numbers helped him total 5.3 bWAR, the fourth-highest total on a team in which he didn’t even play for until May 28.

Despite not showing up until the end of May, no NL rookie posted a higher bWAR this season than Harris. And Harris came within one homer of a 20/20 season despite not playing for virtually the first two months.

With the Atlanta Braves needing to find stability in the outfield, Harris quickly claimed center field as his own, finishing the year with 8 Defensive Runs Saved and 8 Outs Above Average. He wasn’t just a stopgap in the outfield. He was one of the best overall outfielders in the National League this season.

As Mark Bowman from MLB.com pointed out in this article, Atlanta posted a 79-35 record with Harris in the lineup. His impact every day is simply too hard to ignore.

In the age-old discussion of the value of a pitcher versus a position player, I chose the side of the everyday player with this vote. Solid arguments could be made for Harris and Strider, but, in my mind, the impact of Harris on Atlanta’s comeback to the NL East title was just too much to ignore.

You can see my entire NL Rookie of the Year vote, as well as the votes from the other BBWAA members, by clicking here.