Former Nebraska Cornhuskers star gets call to the Big Leagues

Former Nebraska Cornhuskers star Spencer Schwellenbach debuts with the Atlanta Braves after a stellar recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Former Nebraska Cornhuskers pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (88) of the Atlanta Braves pitches to the American League.
Former Nebraska Cornhuskers pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (88) of the Atlanta Braves pitches to the American League. / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
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It’s been a big week for the Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball program. First of course, there was Huskers’ history made when Will Bolt’s squad won its first-ever Big Ten Tournament title

As the excitement continues to build, we now know who the Nebraska Cornhuskers will face in the NCAA Tournament regionals. In a twist of fate, they won’t be going head-to-head with Texas A&M in the first round. Instead, they’re set to renew an old rivalry with a Big 12 foe. This matchup as the number two seed in the Stillwater regional, hosted by Oklahoma State, promises to be a thrilling contest that no fan would want to miss.

And now, a former Nebraska Cornhuskers star is getting the call to the bigs. Spencer Schwellenbach has been promoted by the Atlanta Braves and could make his Major League debut as soon as Wednesday night, according to MLB insider Robert Murray.

The Braves drafted Spencer Schwellenbach in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. However, He underwent Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter and didn’t make his pro debut until last season. 

Since returning from the injury, he’s been quite dominant. He began 2024 at Hig—A Rome, where he posted a 2.53 ERA and tallied 34 strikeouts in 32 innings across six starts. 

That led to a promotion to Double-A Mississippi where he has yet to allow a run in his first 13 innings. He’s also got 17 strikeouts in those 13 innings.

Former Nebraska Cornhuskers star gets the call to the Atlanta Braves

Spencer Schwellenbach could be getting a shot to stick with the club for at least a little bit. The spot in the rotation he’ll take was previously held by Bryce Elder, but he was demoted last week. Ray Kerr was given the first chance to replace Elder but he struggled.

The former Nebraska Cornhuskers star was a two-play player for one season in Lincoln, in 2021, he added pitching to his repertoire and went 3-1 with a 0.57 ERA and 10 saves. As a position player, he hit .282 in three years with 16 home runs, 67 RBI and 16 steals.