5. Spencer Strider
11-5, 2.67 ERA, 0.995 WHIP,131.2 IP, 202 SO
One of the front-runners for the National League Rookie of the Year, Spencer Strider has had an insane rookie season. Strider reached 200 Ks in just 130 IP, besting Randy Johnson’s rookie mark of 130.2 IP set in 2001. If he had the innings to qualify, Strider would be the clear leader in K/9IP. Carlos Rodon currently leads the NL with 11.983. Strider is sitting on a robust 13.8 K/9IP.
Because he’s only pitched 131.2 IP, Strider currently ranks 5th in the NL in strikeouts. Spencer started the season as a dominant reliever but later found his way into the rotation.
To add to the legendary rookie season, Strider set the Braves franchise record for most strikeouts in a single game with 16. That’s not most in a game for a rookie, it’s most in a 9-inning game for any Brave… ever. That’s one more than John Smoltz’s record of 15. As a rookie, he accomplished a feat that John Smoltz never reached.
As electric as The Mustache has been, he’s still likely to end up second in Rookie of the Year voting to our next player.
4. Michael Harris II
.301 avg, 19 HR, 75 R, 64 RBI, 20 SB, 138 OPS+
The Braves began the season with a clear deficiency in the outfield. Travis Demeritte gave us a little hope and then fell off a cliff. Michael Harris II was summoned from Double-A straight into the spotlight. He was not intimidated.
Not only has his bat led him to the heart of a stacked lineup as the Braves push for the division, but his defense also has him counted as a Gold Glove candidate. According to Fangraphs “Def” rating, Harris is tops in the National League with a 6.3 rating.
By mid-August, Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves had seen enough to know that Harris II was the long-term solution at centerfield. So much so, they signed him to an eight-year, $72M deal. It was a crazy year for Harris, coming straight from Double-A to an eight-year deal. He really lived up to the nickname, Money Mike.
Editor’s note: Mikey continued to excel on defense with 2 stellar catches in center against the Mets Saturday night.