Schwellenbach has a bright future at the MLB level.
The Atlanta Braves have an intriguing starting rotation. Chris Sale is still one of the better pitchers in the game, while a bounce back season from Spencer Strider in 2026 would go a long way toward helping Atlanta return to the postseason. The potential X-factor in the starting rotation is Spencer Schwellenbach.
Schwellenbach, 25, has pitched to a 3.23 ERA across 38 games in MLB between the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He suffered an injury during the 2025 campaign and was limited to 17 starts as a result. Still, his performance was encouraging, as he recorded a 3.09 ERA while striking out 108 hitters in his 110.2 innings of work.
Schwellenbach did suffer an elbow injury, which is always concerning for pitchers. He avoided Tommy John surgery but did sustain an elbow fracture. Barring any setbacks, Schwellenbach is expected to be ready for the 2026 campaign.
If he stays healthy, will 2026 end up becoming his true breakout season?
Spencer Schwellenbach's Outlook
The 25-year-old is unquestionably going to be a pitcher to closely watch in 2026. It is rare to find a hard-throwing young pitcher who consistently throws strikes. Schwellenbach ranked in the 99th percentile in walk percentage in 2025, checking in with a 4.1 percent mark. He was also in the 93rd percentile for fastball run value.
Schwellenbach's strikes are not right over the plate every time, though. He does a tremendous job of getting hitters to swing out of the zone -- both with his heater and offspeed pitches. Schwellenbach was in the 95th percentile for chase percentage and his offspeed run value checked in at the 86th percentile in 2025.
Another impressive element of Schwellenbach's attack on the mound is the way he mixes up his pitches. While he throws his fastball the most, he uses all six of his pitches -- with his other five being a slider, split finger, curveball, cutter and sinker -- on a consistent enough basis.
With all of that being said, the claim that Schwellenbach is on track to become MLB's next star pitcher is a reasonable one. Health will be of the utmost importance of course, but that is true for any pitcher.
As long as he stays on the mound, the '26 season could be Spencer Schwellenbach's true breakout campaign at the MLB level. The right-handed hurler has what it takes to become the Braves' ace of the future.