How Marquis Grissom has shaped Harris' career

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SAN FRANCISCO -- Michael Harris II grew up recognizing Marquis Grissom as the Braves center fielder who caught the final out of the 1995 World Series. He now recognizes the four-time Gold Glover as a primary reason he serves as Atlanta’s current center fielder.

“I would say [Grissom] is a big reason why I know a lot of stuff,” Harris said. “He helped me learn how to prepare for games. When certain situations come up, I’m ready because he has told me some of his stories and how he has handled things. He’s won multiple Gold Gloves and that’s something I want to do. So, just listening to him has been huge for me at the start of my career.”

MLB will celebrate Players' Weekend these next three days (Friday-Sunday). Players will be given a platform to celebrate their interests, backstories and people who are important to them.

Harris was born in suburban Atlanta on March 7, 2001, more than five years after Grissom ran into left-center field at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium to make the catch that gave Atlanta its first World Series title, in 1995.

Grissom concluded his 17-season MLB career in 2005, and he began the Marquis Grissom Baseball Association in his native Atlanta the following year. He has spent nearly two decades giving kids in underserved communities a chance to play in competitive baseball environments.

One of his top pupils has been Harris, who was 15 years old when he was asked to come pitch for Grissom’s team one weekend. He batted during that game, but he didn’t start playing center field for the team until the fall season began. One of the other outfielders on the team was current A’s right fielder Lawrence Butler.

“I know [Grissom] had a lot of faith in a lot of the guys on that team,” Harris said. “He made sure we went about it the right way, played the game right and were just even better people.”

Harris was drafted by the Braves in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft, and he was named the NL’s Rookie of the Year in 2022. His fast rise to stardom was significantly influenced by the indelible bond he continues to share with Grissom.

“He can be like an uncle, brother or dad, it just depends on the conversation,” Harris said. “He’s still influencing me every day and during the offseason. I just get to see who he is as a person. He gets to see who I am and see me grow as well.”

As Harris was playing for Grissom, he savored the coach/player relationship. But he also now appreciates the nearly daily conversations the two share.

“Our conversations are pretty loose,” Harris said. “We joke a lot with each other. We pretty much can talk about anything. He'll call me and let me know if I'm doing a certain thing at the plate that seems to be a little off. The offseason we see each other pretty much every day. We joke around a lot. He gives some good lessons and some good words of wisdom. It’s just a good relationship.”