Spencer Strider made his highly anticipated pro debut Friday night, and it lived up to the billing and more.
Strider, Atlanta’s fourth-round pick last year out of Clemson, fired three perfect innings with seven strikeouts in his first start for the org for Augusta at Myrtle Beach. He actually struck out eight, but the umpire badly missed a call on a strike three.
The debut was pure dominance. Strider threw maybe three or four pitches that weren’t fastballs, and Myrtle Beach was constantly underneath and behind on the pitch. He pumped fastballs up in the zone with strong command and confidence throughout.