Spencer Strider high school: Knoxville native starting MLB Speedway Classic for Braves
And as the Braves and Reds play at Bristol Motor Speedway in the MLB Speedway Classic, one of the state's own will have the special honor of starting the game: Knoxville native and Braves right-hander Spencer Strider.
Strider, who enters the game with a 5-8 record and a 3.71 ERA this season, will be opposed by Reds rookie phenom Chase Burns, who started his college career at Tennessee.
"It's such a unique thing," Strider told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on starting in the MLB Speedway Classic. "I'm not sure anybody's sure what to expect, but I'm certainly curious to just pull up and see what it looks like before I start actually warming up and everything. I think it's gonna be unlike anything we've done before."
Here's a look back at Strider's high school career ahead of the MLB Speedway Classic:
REQUIRED READING: MLB Speedway Classic: Time, TV channel for Braves-Reds at Bristol Motor Speedway
Where did Spencer Strider go to high school?
Strider attended Christian Academy of Knoxville, where he was a three-time varsity letterman in baseball.
Strider, the Gatorade Tennessee Baseball Player of the Year during the 2016-17 high school season, went an undefeated 13-0 on the mound as a senior while recording 150 strikeouts and holding opposing hitters to a .118 batting average. As noted by Knox News, Strider was ranked as the state of Tennessee's No. 3 recruit in the 2017 recruiting class by Perfect Game. He was also the No. 74 recruit in the nation, and the No. 24 right-handed pitcher.
His senior season helped him get drafted in the 35th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, though he opted to stick with the college track and honor his commitment to Clemson.
Spencer Strider college
Following his high school career at Christian Academy of Knoxville, Strider played Division I baseball in the ACC at Clemson. After missing the 2019 season due to injury, Strider posted a 5-2 record in 10 games with a 4.71 ERA and 89 strikeouts in the two seasons in which he played.
He was drafted by the Braves in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft with the 126th overall pick.
Spencer Strider hometown
Strider hails from Knoxville, just an hour and 46 minutes southwest of Bristol Motor Speedway.
MLB Speedway Classic time today
Date: Saturday, Aug. 2
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Location: Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tennessee)
TV: Fox
Strider is set to get the ball in the MLB Speedway Classic for the Braves against the Reds at 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 2 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Spencer Strider high school: Look back at pitcher's high school career
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