This prospect's Opening Day roster odds are surging after Spencer Schwellenbach injury

Highly ranked prospects earning a spot on the Opening Day roster is nothing new in Atlanta. Jason Heyward, Julio Teheran, and others have parlayed standout spring performances into early major league opportunities. Just a week ago, however, it appeared that the Atlanta Braves’ No. 2 prospect, JR Ritchie, would need an extraordinary spring to realistically position himself for an Opening Day roster spot.

However, before Ritchie has even thrown a pitch this spring, his chances may have significantly improved over the past 24 hours. Unfortunately, that shift stems from the difficult news that right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach will begin the season on the 60-day injured list. While Ritchie is not necessarily the immediate favorite to replace Schwellenbach in the rotation, he brings some of the highest upside among the group of pitchers competing for the final spot.

JR Ritchie now has much stronger odds to make the Opening Day roster

Much like Sean Murphy’s injury last spring ultimately compelled the Braves to place Drake Baldwin on the Opening Day roster, Schwellenbach’s absence could create a similar opportunity for the 22-year-old Ritchie. Baldwin went on to capture National League Rookie of the Year honors, and Atlanta would certainly welcome a comparable impact from another young contributor.

Ritchie logged 140 innings last season across three minor league levels, finishing on a strong note with a 3.02 ERA in just under 60 innings at Triple-A Gwinnett. Both Ritchie and 19-year-old Cam Caminiti are widely regarded as Top 100 prospects and are arguably the most advanced, high-upside young talents currently in Atlanta’s system.

There is no denying that the loss of Spencer Schwellenbach represents a significant setback for Atlanta. The projected Opening Day rotation is now in flux, creating an opportunity for Ritchie to capitalize this spring. As it stands, Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo López, and Grant Holmes appear positioned to occupy four of the five rotation spots, assuming each remain healthy of course.

Fans understandably would like to see Alex Anthopoulos add a proven innings-eater — someone in the mold of Chris Bassitt — to further stabilize the rotation. However, if Atlanta opts to rely on the arms currently in camp, Ritchie is likely to be among the next wave of candidates competing for the final spot. Bryce Elder and Joey Wentz, both out of minor league options and pitchers the Braves would prefer to retain, will also have legitimate opportunities to secure the fifth starter role.

Meanwhile, Hurston Waldrep and Ritchie represent the younger, high-upside prospects who could pitch their way into the rotation this spring. Waldrep may have the inside track over Ritchie, particularly after his strong finish in Atlanta to close out the 2025 season. If Ritchie delivers the kind of spring that matches his talent, the Braves may find it difficult to leave him off the roster. What once seemed like a long shot has quickly become a legitimate opportunity — and this spring could mark the beginning of Atlanta’s next homegrown impact arm.