WLBT Feature on Michael Harris II & Mike Bard

In May 2022, WLBT published a piece spotlighting Michael Harris II as he made waves with the Mississippi Braves. The story delved into how Harris was climbing through struggles and how Mike Bard, then serving as the team’s hitting coach, approached working with him.
Rather than imposing fixes, Bard chose a collaborative, hands-off method. When Harris had a hitless stretch, Bard sat down with him—not to dictate change, but to ask, “What can we improve together?” Through video analysis, they identified Harris’ tendency toward chasing pitches and a flatter swing, and made adjustments.
That shift helped unlock power: Harris went from zero home runs before the meeting to 4 homers in his next 58 at-bats and started a 14-game hit streak. The feature emphasizes that Bard doesn’t try to force his voice; instead, he helps players own the process.
Bard himself said,
“You don’t want to screw them up. It doesn’t matter what I think or say, it matters what they can do.”
He praised Harris’ emotional maturity, noting that emotion often gets in the way for many players—but Harris “doesn’t emote negatively, so it’s pretty easy to coach him.”

👉 This story originally appeared on WLBT.com, featuring insights from Mike Bard during his time as the Mississippi Braves hitting voice.

A calm mind as his guide, Michael Harris II continues to raise the bar