Brendan Harris, infielder

Will he be in the major leagues in 2012? Should he?

I’ve written plenty about Brendan Harris in 2011 already — here, here, and here – and don’t really have much more to add. It’s safe to say that a 31-year-old player coming off consecutive .233/.292/.353 and .225/.282/.331 seasons in AAA isn’t an immediate candidate for a big-league job.

Harris has to rely on his bat for a utility job, so if this is a new level of skill, he’ll never see the major leagues again. If he can rebound with the bat, then he’s iffy — a bat-first utility infielder. In the National League, that can be useful, but less so in the American League. With borderline players like Harris, reputation as a good guy in the clubhouse can help him earn one of those last spots; I’ve heard that Harris isn’t a good guy in the clubhouse.

Harris signed with the Rockies for 2012.