Spencer Schwellenbach just made it very clear that the Atlanta Braves have an ace in the making. The young right-hander dominated the Yankees on Wednesday, tossing six scoreless innings and racking up 10 strikeouts while allowing just three baserunners. If that’s not ace material, I don’t know what is.
Schwellenbach wasn’t even supposed to be here this soon. The kid was drafted as a shortstop out of Nebraska in 2023. A year later, he’s carving up big-league hitters with the confidence of a seasoned veteran. He started 2024 in High-A, spent less than two months in the minors, and suddenly, boom—he’s in the Braves’ rotation, looking like a future star.
His 2024 numbers were no joke: a 3.35 ERA and 127 strikeouts over 21 starts. And now, as Atlanta gears up for 2025, the starting rotation is shaping up. Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, Schwellenbach, Grant Holmes, and Ian Anderson are holding it down for now, with Spencer Strider waiting in the wings.
Once Strider returns, someone will be bumped—probably Holmes or Anderson—but Schwellenbach isn’t going anywhere.
Austin Riley’s Power Is Alive and Well
Now, speaking of Braves stars, let’s talk about Austin Riley. A week ago, there was some panic after he got plunked in the hand. It was the same hand that cost him two months in 2024. But he’s fine. He crushed a 346-foot opposite-field home run off Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz for his second home run of the spring.
Riley has quietly become one of the most consistent power hitters in the game. He went deep 38 times in 2022, followed that up with 37 in 2023, and if you’re a betting person, 40 bombs in 2025 feels like a very real possibility. He’s hitting .294 this spring with four RBIs. No signs of rust whatsoever.
Craig Kimbrel Comes Full Circle
Craig Kimbrel is back in Atlanta. The franchise’s all-time saves leader (186) signed a minor league deal with the Braves on Tuesday.
Obviously, this isn’t the Kimbrel of old. He’s 36 now, and last season with Baltimore, things weren’t pretty. He had a 5.33 ERA and six blown saves in 29 chances. That’s not exactly lights-out.
The Braves bullpen has some question marks, and if Kimbrel can find some of his former magic, he could end up being a useful piece down the line. He’ll start the season in Triple-A Gwinnett and will make $2 million if he gets called up.
Braves’ Roster Moves
The Braves have been busy shuffling the roster. The team signed veteran catcher James McCann to a minor league deal to add some needed depth to the position.
With Sean Murphy injured, Atlanta is down to Drake Baldwin and Chadwick Tromp on the 40-man roster, so McCann’s experience could come in handy.
Meanwhile, Rule 5 picks Anderson Pilar (Marlins) and Christian Cairo (Guardians) are headed back to their original teams. The Braves also recently let go of Curt Casali and reassigned Sandy León to minor league camp, so the catching situation remains in flux.
Atlanta is fine-tuning its roster, but the biggest story here is Schwellenbach. The Braves might have stumbled into their next ace, and if Wednesday’s performance was any indication, opposing hitters should be very concerned.
