Spencer Schwellenbach

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #5 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Schwellenbach was one of the best two-way players in the 2021 class, and the Braves loved his arm talent enough to sign him to a $1 million deal in the second round. He had Tommy John surgery after the draft and didn’t pitch in 2021 or 2022. In his pro debut in 2023, Schwellenbach posted a 2.49 ERA in 65 innings with Low-A Augusta and High-A Rome, showed plus control and also represented the Braves in the Futures Game.
  
  Scouting Report: The powerfully built, athletic righthander has a four-pitch mix led by a 94-96 mph fastball and was up to 98 post-surgery. While the pitch has always had big-time velocity, it can play down at times thanks to below-average riding life, though Schwellenbach does an excellent job throwing the pitch for strikes to get ahead in the count. He throws two breaking ball variants: the first a firm slider/cutter in the mid-to-upper 80s and the second a more slurve-like curve that has more depth and was a solid swing-and-miss offering at the lower levels. Schwellenbach showed good feel to throw both breaking balls for strikes at a high clip, and both feature high spin rates in the 2,400-2,500 rpm range. Against lefthanders, Schwellenbach will mix in an average mid-80s changeup, though his feel for the pitch is further behind his other three. Schwellenbach is a natural strike-thrower dating back to his college days and has a chance for plus control and plus pitchability.
  
  The Future: Schwellenbach missed about a month in 2023 with right shoulder inflammation, so his medical history still raises questions. His control and athleticism should give him every opportunity to start, but there’s a chance his stuff plays up in a bullpen role, which could be the route that leads him to the big leagues quickest.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 60
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #9 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Schwellenbach was one of the best two-way prospects in the 2021 draft class and ranked as the No. 51 overall prospect after hitting .284/.403/.459 and playing shortstop for Nebraska. He also showed 99 mph velocity as a reliever. The Braves' scouting staff loved his upside potential as a two-way player and his phenomenal pure arm talent, with relatively little experience pitching, and signed him for $1 million.
  
  Scouting Report: Schwellenbach needed Tommy John surgery after the 2021 draft and was still in the recovery process. He hasn't pitched yet in pro ball, leaving scouts to look back on what he did in college and hope he returns as the same player. With Nebraska, Schwellenbach posted a 0.57 ERA over 31.2 innings out of the bullpen and threw a three-pitch mix. He sat 94-95 mph with a fastball that touched 98-99. He had good feel for a low-80s slider and low-80s changeup as well. Despite being a primary shortstop at the time, Schwellenbach threw all three pitches for strikes 67-68% of the time and scouts viewed each as potentially above-average--while Braves officials think they could be plus. Atlanta initially planned to stretch Schwellenbach out as a starter, where they believe his athleticism, easy operation and three-pitch mix could serve him nicely. There's no reason to think that course has changed just yet.
  
  The Future: Atlanta expects Schwellenbach to be ready for spring training in 2023, where he'll look to make up for lost time and remove some of the uncertainty from his profile.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #17 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Schwellenbach was one of the best two-way prospects in the 2021 class. A shortstop and righthander, he strolled to the mound as a reliever for Nebraska—with little to no pitching prep—and put 99 mph fastballs and solid secondaries over the plate. Atlanta’s scouting staff drooled over his upside and signed him for $997,500.
  
  Scouting Report: Schwellenbach is one of the better pure athletes in Atlanta’s system, with incredible natural arm talent. However, he needed Tommy John surgery after the draft and has few innings under his belt. The 6-foot-1 righty has a chance to throw 100 mph in the future, and despite how little time he’s spent honing his craft, showed impressive command of his fastball and a slider and changeup. Amateur scouts saw the secondary offerings as average or above-average pitches, while Braves officials think both pitches have a chance to be plus. The Braves are planning to stretch him out as a starter, where his athleticism and easy operation could serve him well.
  
  The Future: Schwellenbach’s surgery means he might not get into games until 2023 and there might not be a player in the system with higher variance. The Braves will try to continue adding to their reputation for developing arms and identifying two-way talents with the Nebraska product.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #51 prospect in 2021 draft
  Schwellenbach is one of the most intriguing draft storylines as a legitimate two-way player who scouts continue to be split on. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound shortstop at Nebraska is solid at the position, though his foot speed limits him defensively. He doesn’t have the athleticism to stay at shortstop long term and could potentially see a future at third base. He hasn’t shown power but he has consistently high exit velocities off the bat and the analytics are promising. Where Schwellenbach has drawn even more interest is with his arm, as a player who rolls in from short and has been up to 99 mph on the mound. He sits 94 to 97 with super easy velocity but generic life. The righthander has an average slider in the mid-80s with good shape, and a changeup he can throw for strikes that will be an average pitch, though he hasn’t showcased it often. Though his delivery could use refining, he throws strikes, commands his secondaries, knows what he is doing, has good feel for the zone, lands everything, and does it easily. He hasn’t pitched a lot, getting into 16 games out of the Huskers’ bullpen and posting a 0.71 ERA over 25.1 innings with 29 strikeouts this year, which might temper some enthusiasm for his starter upside. Schwellenbach has had arm issues in the past, including a non-Tommy John UCL reparation surgery, but the arm strength and strikes are impressive and he gets a higher consensus rank for the pitching profile.
• Ranked #458 prospect in 2018 draft
  A Nebraska signee, Schwellenbach has plenty of arm speed (his fastball has touched 94-95 mph), but he has to improve his command and control and the quality of his secondary offerings, which is why he's likely to make it to Nebraska.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Schwellenbach was one of the best two-way prospects in the 2021 draft class and ranked as the No. 51 overall prospect after hitting .284/.403/.459 and playing shortstop for Nebraska. He also showed 99 mph velocity as a reliever. The Braves' scouting staff loved his upside potential as a two-way player and his phenomenal pure arm talent, with relatively little experience pitching, and signed him for $1 million.
  
  Scouting Report: Schwellenbach needed Tommy John surgery after the 2021 draft and was still in the recovery process. He hasn't pitched yet in pro ball, leaving scouts to look back on what he did in college and hope he returns as the same player. With Nebraska, Schwellenbach posted a 0.57 ERA over 31.2 innings out of the bullpen and threw a three-pitch mix. He sat 94-95 mph with a fastball that touched 98-99. He had good feel for a low-80s slider and low-80s changeup as well. Despite being a primary shortstop at the time, Schwellenbach threw all three pitches for strikes 67-68% of the time and scouts viewed each as potentially above-average--while Braves officials think they could be plus. Atlanta initially planned to stretch Schwellenbach out as a starter, where they believe his athleticism, easy operation and three-pitch mix could serve him nicely. There's no reason to think that course has changed just yet.
  
  The Future: Atlanta expects Schwellenbach to be ready for spring training in 2023, where he'll look to make up for lost time and remove some of the uncertainty from his profile.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Schwellenbach was one of the best two-way prospects in the 2021 draft class and ranked as the No. 51 overall prospect after hitting .284/.403/.459 and playing shortstop for Nebraska. He also showed 99 mph velocity as a reliever. The Braves' scouting staff loved his upside potential as a two-way player and his phenomenal pure arm talent, with relatively little experience pitching, and signed him for $1 million.
  
  Scouting Report: Schwellenbach needed Tommy John surgery after the 2021 draft and was still in the recovery process. He hasn't pitched yet in pro ball, leaving scouts to look back on what he did in college and hope he returns as the same player. With Nebraska, Schwellenbach posted a 0.57 ERA over 31.2 innings out of the bullpen and threw a three-pitch mix. He sat 94-95 mph with a fastball that touched 98-99. He had good feel for a low-80s slider and low-80s changeup as well. Despite being a primary shortstop at the time, Schwellenbach threw all three pitches for strikes 67-68% of the time and scouts viewed each as potentially above-average--while Braves officials think they could be plus. Atlanta initially planned to stretch Schwellenbach out as a starter, where they believe his athleticism, easy operation and three-pitch mix could serve him nicely. There's no reason to think that course has changed just yet.
  
  The Future: Atlanta expects Schwellenbach to be ready for spring training in 2023, where he'll look to make up for lost time and remove some of the uncertainty from his profile.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record:: Schwellenbach was one of the best two-way prospects in the 2021 class. A shortstop and righthander, he strolled to the mound as a reliever for Nebraska—with little to no pitching prep—and put 99 mph fastballs and solid secondaries over the plate. Atlanta&#39s scouting staff drooled over his upside and signed him for $997,500.
  
  Scouting Report: Schwellenbach is one of the better pure athletes in Atlanta&#39s system, with incredible natural arm talent. However, he needed Tommy John surgery after the draft and has few innings under his belt. The 6-foot-1 righty has a chance to throw 100 mph in the future, and despite how little time he&#39s spent honing his craft, showed impressive command of his fastball and a slider and changeup. Amateur scouts saw the secondary offerings as average or above-average pitches, while Braves officials think both pitches have a chance to be plus. The Braves are planning to stretch him out as a starter, where his athleticism and easy operation could serve him well.
  
  The Future: Schwellenbach&#39s surgery means he might not get into games until 2023 and there might not be a player in the system with higher variance. The Braves will try to continue adding to their reputation for developing arms and identifying two-way talents with the Nebraska product.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Schwellenbach was one of the best two-way prospects in the 2021 class. A shortstop and righthander, he strolled to the mound as a reliever for Nebraska—with little to no pitching prep—and put 99 mph fastballs and solid secondaries over the plate. Atlanta’s scouting staff drooled over his upside and signed him for $997,500.
  
  Scouting Report: Schwellenbach is one of the better pure athletes in Atlanta’s system, with incredible natural arm talent. However, he needed Tommy John surgery after the draft and has few innings under his belt. The 6-foot-1 righty has a chance to throw 100 mph in the future, and despite how little time he’s spent honing his craft, showed impressive command of his fastball and a slider and changeup. Amateur scouts saw the secondary offerings as average or above-average pitches, while Braves officials think both pitches have a chance to be plus. The Braves are planning to stretch him out as a starter, where his athleticism and easy operation could serve him well.
  
  The Future: Schwellenbach’s surgery means he might not get into games until 2023 and there might not be a player in the system with higher variance. The Braves will try to continue adding to their reputation for developing arms and identifying two-way talents with the Nebraska product.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Schwellenbach is one of the most intriguing draft storylines as a legitimate two-way player who scouts continue to be split on. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound shortstop at Nebraska is solid at the position, though his foot speed limits him defensively. He doesn't have the athleticism to stay at shortstop long term and could potentially see a future at third base. He hasn't shown power but he has consistently high exit velocities off the bat and the analytics are promising. Where Schwellenbach has drawn even more interest is with his arm, as a player who rolls in from short and has been up to 99 mph on the mound. He sits 94 to 97 with super easy velocity but generic life. The righthander has an average slider in the mid-80s with good shape, and a changeup he can throw for strikes that will be an average pitch, though he hasn't showcased it often. Though his delivery could use refining, he throws strikes, commands his secondaries, knows what he is doing, has good feel for the zone, lands everything, and does it easily. He hasn't pitched a lot, getting into 16 games out of the Huskers' bullpen and posting a 0.71 ERA over 25.1 innings with 29 strikeouts this year, which might temper some enthusiasm for his starter upside. Schwellenbach has had arm issues in the past, including a non-Tommy John UCL reparation surgery, but the arm strength and strikes are impressive and he gets a higher consensus rank for the pitching profile.