After a late season call up in 2021, Spencer Strider really burst onto the scene last season. The Braves young ace made the squad’s 2022 opening day roster and was named National League Rookie the Month for July.
Later in the season, he broke the Braves single game record by mowing down 16 Colorado Rockies in just eight innings of work.
In September of 2022, Strider became the fastest pitcher in American or National League history to hurl 200 strikeouts in a season. With a little extra heat on the fast ball, he was also the first Braves modern era rookie to strike out 200 batters in the single season. Strider, finished second to teammate Michael Harris II for the National League Rookie of the Year honor.
Not only does Strider throw with great velocity, he has shown he sits batter’s down with great velocity… and frequency as well, as in 2023 he became the fastest pitcher in MLB history to reach 100 strikeouts in the season getting it done in only 61 innings of pitching.
Leveling up, the flame thrower was named to his first All Star selection this year.
His two seam fastball reaches triple digits on the regular. His second pitch, a slurve like offering, has batters swinging as if they were chasing a ghost. Throw in the once in a while changeup and you might have the most dominant pitcher in baseball on your hands.
For all the love and attention, the facial hair gets Strider’s Powers originate in those tree trunk legs and finish with fast torque and cannon at the end of his right arm.
After a few jersey number swaps, Strider has stuck with number 99, a tip of the cap to the Major League movie character Ricky Vaughn played by Charlie Sheen.
Collectors should be going wild for for the 24-year-old perennial Cy Young candidate and his name should be the tip of everyone’s tongue for years to come.
Stepping into the batter’s box against Strider is never a good idea. This time, it’s 2023 Topps Pristine Baseball.
The recently released product offers two encased autograph cards, one autograph relic, 10 base card parallels and five inserts per box, but it will have a tough time facing the Strider sensations we show you here–for quite a bit less than the going rate for a box.
The Rookie Card
The first pitch of the at bat is a rock solid rookie year card as we head over to the 2022 Topps Living set. We pick up a PSA 10 Strider rookie card for around 100 bucks. Strider is somewhat of a throwback and these beautiful hand-drawn and hand painted cards take us back to the 1953 Topps card design.
The Autograph Card
Our autograph card is our second pitch in this fast paced at bat. That also hails from Strider’s rookie season as we toss up a beautiful 2022 Topps Gallery Strider sticker rookie auto. Strider is seen sporting a full face of hair prior to the exclusively mustachioed look. To pick up a rookie auto of arguably the best young pitcher in the game is a perfect option for our Strider staff and for right around $75-$85, it’s a strike right down the middle of the plate.
The Jersey Card
The third pitch in our arsenal is the jersey card which we select from the more eloquent 2022 Panini Three and Two Baseball. Although Strider barely pitches to a full count, this beautiful horizontal card shows him mid wind up and offers a beautiful multicolored jersey swatch with the all important RC logo. This particular copy has a mere 10 total cards but a copy recently sold for around $33.
The Serial Numbered Card
With the great value of Strider products (luckily for us), we offer a complete game shut out of a fourth card with yet another rookie year relic, this time from 2022 Absolute Baseball. We pick up a Strider rookie booklet that offers a sweet spot signature accompanied by two jersey pieces. For around $90, this is a beautiful bold booklet to add to your three other Strider stunners. No, it’s logoless, but does it really matter on something like this?
So there you have it… four straight strikes from Strider or take your chances on trying to make your money back on a $450 box of modern baseball. Like stepping in the box against the young Brave, good luck with that.
Check out a live look at the most watched Spencer Strider card auctions on eBay.
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