2025 Fantasy Baseball: Spencer Strider Profile, Preview, Predictions

Over the past year, multiple pitchers have chosen internal brace surgery over TJ surgery to repair an elbow injury. Spencer Strider went that path last April (13th). Can he be ready to take on a heavy workload 12 months after a significant injury?

Spencer Strider. ⛽️⛽️⛽️ pic.twitter.com/XUqufI3C8S
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 29, 2024

SP – Spencer Strider, ATL (ADP – 139.7)

2025 Spencer Strider Pitching Stats Profile | Shawn Childs

Strider made the Braves’ opening-day roster in 2022. Over his first 12 appearances, he posted a 2.83 ERA, 1.094 WHIP, .178 BAA, and 44 strikeouts over 28.2 innings. His arm gave Atlanta 19 electric starts over the final four months of the season (2.62 ERA, 0.971 WHIP, .180 BAA, and 158 strikeouts over 103 innings). Strider completed six innings in 10 starts while tossing over 100 pitches over his final six appearances.

The Braves gave Strider 32 starts in 2023, leading the most strikeouts (281) in baseball with a league-high 13.5 strikeouts per nine and wins (20). He threw 90 pitches in all but four games while completing at least six innings in 11 contests. His underperformance in ERA (3.86) came from five poor starts (30 runs, 44 baserunners, and seven home runs over 20.1 innings with 32 strikeouts). After the All-Star break, Strider had a 4.39 ERA, 1.098 WHIP, .214 BAA, and 115 strikeouts over 82.0 innings). His command was exceptional against righties (14 walks over 341 at-bats).

Unfortunately, last season, Strider turned into a fantasy bust after developing a right elbow injury after two starts (seven runs, 15 baserunners, and two home runs over nine innings with 12 strikeouts). Instead of having a second TJ surgery, he choose to have internal brace surgery on April 13th. Strider has been throwing in January, but he is still expected to miss some this year.

When healthy in 2023, his average fastball (97.4) was one of the best in baseball. Batters had more success vs. his four-seamer (.256 BAA with 19 home runs over 426 at-bats). Strider had a devastating slider (.158 BAA – 148 strikeouts) and an improving show-me changeup (.151 BAA – rarely used against right-handed batters).

Fantasy Outlook: The fantasy market hopes to have Strider in their starting lineups and pitching at a high level by the end of May. Last year, Gerrit Cole missed two and a half months of the season and produced competitive SP2 stats over his 17 appearances. Based on some research, Strider could be back to full strength in 14 months. I view his recovery time frame as unknown, but the internal brace reports have been positive because it is a less invasive surgery.

Strider’s two-pitch arsenal against righties may lose value the third time through the batting order, especially with any decline in his fastball. I’m skeptical about his value in 2025 while being treated as a buy-and-hold minor league prospect with proven results in the majors. I’ll wait to see his spring training reports before investing. On the downside, any hint of positive news will push him up draft boards, leading to different draft comparisons.

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