The son of former MLB player and hitting coach Mickey Brantley, he is a left-handed batter and thrower.

During the 2014 campaign, Brantley won both an MLB All-Star nomination and a Silver Slugger Award for the first time.

That year, he achieved career highs in numerous offensive categories and garnered a third-place finish in the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award voting.

His father, Mickey Brantley, played in Major League Baseball (MLB), and was a member of the Seattle Mariners at the time Michael was born.

[2] After being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers out of high school, Brantley gave up his National Letter of Intent to play college baseball for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.

[8] The Brewers assigned Brantley to the West Virginia Power of the Class A South Atlantic League in 2006.

[11] Playing for Huntsville in 2008, Brantley had a .319 batting average with four home runs, 40 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases.

[18] Brantley batted .315 in 59 games for Columbus, and was recalled to the major leagues on July 4 after an injury to Shin-Soo Choo.

[19] After batting 11-for-70 with one home run in 26 games in his second stint with the 2010 Indians, he was demoted to Columbus on July 27 to make room for Josh Tomlin.

[2] After missing time due to tendinitis in his right wrist, Brantley's season ended prematurely when he required surgery on the hamate bone in his right hand in August.

[28] Before the 2013 season, the Indians signed center fielder Michael Bourn as a free agent, and moved Brantley back to left field.

[29] The Indians discussed a contract extension with Brantley's representatives, but talks ended when the season began.

[30] In August 2013, Brantley set a new Indians' franchise record for games without an error by an outfielder with 213, passing Rocky Colavito.

[31] Brantley had a break-through season in 2013, batting .284 with 158 hits, 10 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases.

[1][32][33] Brantley was selected to appear in the 2014 MLB All-Star Game after hitting .322 with 15 home runs and 63 RBIs during the first half of the season.

[36] He was named a finalist for the 2014 American League Most Valuable Player Award[37] and finished in third place in the balloting, behind winner Mike Trout and Victor Martínez.

[49] Brantley was the last out of the 2019 World Series, striking out swinging against Washington Nationals pitcher Daniel Hudson in Game 7.

[53][54][55] On May 4, 2022, Brantley singled home two runs in the second inning versus the Seattle Mariners, extending a lead to 3–0.

[57] On June 14, Brantley doubled and reached base three times versus the Texas Rangers,[58] including an eighth-inning single that sparked a rally as Houston won, 4–3.

[59] Brantley hit a grand slam on June 17 versus the White Sox, highlighting a ten-run sixth inning, which accounted for Houston's largest output in one frame since May 29, 2017.

[61] On August 12, Brantley underwent right shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, which prematurely ended his season.

In the midst of another excellent season, he produced a .288 batting average and his .370 on-base percentage ranked second on the team at the time of the surgery.

It was later cited as a key motivator for the players as the team won the next three games to deliver a championship, with Brantley earning his first ring.

[66] On April 23, 2023, Brantley was sent on a rehab assignment to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys following his shoulder surgery.

During Michael's playing career, they spoke every morning by phone to discuss his at bats from the previous game.