Braves are still tinkering with their roster

The Atlanta Braves added a toolsy outfielder to their player pool for 2020.

In the 2020 MLB season, the Atlanta Braves will have only 60 games to wash off the stink of that embarrassing NLDS loss in 2019, and they might have to do so while several key contributors on the pitching staff and in the lineup have come down with the COVID-19 virus. To further that end, manager Brian Snitker is reaching deep into Atlanta’s well of prospects to add some extra pop to a team that isn’t exactly lacking in that department.

The Braves added top prospect and speedy outfielder Michael Harris II to the team’s player pool after first baseman/outfielder Peter O’Brien was placed on the 10-day IL.

O’Brien was once one of the best power hitters in the New York Yankees’ minor league system, but he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the trade that sent Martin Prado to the Bronx. He has hit .207 with 11 home runs in 72 pro games with the Diamondbacks and Miami Marlins.

Harris has the potential to turn into a star for the Atlanta Braves in a few years

Harris, just 19 years old, is not ready for the big leagues, as he hasn’t played above Class-A yet in the minor leagues. While numbers like a .277 average and two home runs don’t sound overly impressive, Harris, the No. 14 overall prospect in Atlanta’s farm system according to MLB Pipeline, should be on track for a long pro career. His best traits are his plus athleticism and sweet left-handed stroke that should play nicely in Atlanta given their somewhat short porch in right.

While it might be a few years before we see Harris on the field at Truist Park, the fact that Atlanta put him on the taxi squad even when he is still very much a raw prospect shows the respect they have for him within the organization.