After recording 17 strikeouts in 13 scoreless innings while allowing five hits and one walk in two starts at Double-A Mississippi, Spencer Schwellenbach got the call from Atlanta Tuesday that he was going to be the starting pitcher for the Braves Wednesday against the Washington Nationals. The Morning Shift talked about what has gotten Schwellenbach to this moment, and what will help keep him with the major league club.
“His fastball is gonna go anywhere from 96 to 98 on average, but one thing he’s done is he’s developed his cutter, a slider, a curve, and a change all down in the minors," Beau Morgan said. "But one of the lines on him is he’s got pinpoint accuracy with his fastball and he’s been able to develop these other pitches.”
Mike Johnson talked about how Schwellenbach having a variety of pitches in his repertoire reminds him of Max Fried, and how Fried is so hard to scout because of how he uses multiple pitches throughout a start. One start he may rely on one pitch more than the others, and then in his next start he may be relying on of his other pitches.
Schwellenbach's ability to throw a 96-98 MPH fastball with pinpoint accuracy is the reason he’s starting for the Braves tonight. If he continues to develop his other pitches like he’s been doing in the minors and shows he can get outs with them that’s how he’ll remain in Atlanta, but it all starts tonight with his MLB debut.