Summary of Braves Minor League Action: Spencer Schwellenbach Records 8 Strikeouts
The Atlanta Braves’ pitching prospects had a promising day, with three talented arms showcasing their skills on Saturday. While Hurston Waldrep delivered an excellent performance for Mississippi, it was Spencer Schwellenbach who stood out with the highest number of strikeouts and swings and misses across the system.
Unfortunately, the Stripers are currently struggling, and even with Forrest Wall joining the lineup, their offense hasn’t picked up. Wall made a significant contribution with three hits as the leadoff batter in the game, but despite getting six hits from the top of the lineup, they couldn’t string them together effectively for a major rally. The highlight for the offense was JP Martinez’s double in the fifth inning, driving in Wall from second base.
In a typical weekly game for the Stripers, they fielded a veteran starter, this time Taylor Widener, who joined as a free agent this winter after playing for the Diamondbacks since 2018. Despite giving up a home run to the first batter, Widener had a solid outing, limiting hard hits and not conceding another hit. Ben Bowden, who was expected to be a key player this season due to his impressive strikeout numbers in 2023, struggled with control issues, allowing a solo home run that tied the game in the sixth inning. Jackson Stephens, returning from injury, took the loss, with concerns over his reduced velocity, averaging just 91.2 mph in the game.
Despite Gwinnett taking a narrow lead, Martinez’s attempt to advance an extra base on a throw home resulted in him being thrown out for the final out of the inning. This double marked Martinez’s first extra-base hit in over a week, indicating a positive turn after a recent slump where he was hitting medium and weakly hit balls more frequently. Seeing Martinez hit two balls over 100 mph in this game is a promising sign for his form.
