Ian Anderson Likely to Hold Rotation Spot For Atlanta Braves in 2025, Per Report

Anderson, the former No. 3 overall draft pick, missed nearly all of 2023 with an injury and spent 2024 in the minors recovering. Now, out of minor league options, he appears to have a rotation spot for the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Ian Anderson (36) throws a pitch in the first inning of a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in 2023. / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves young starter Ian Anderson appears to have a spot in the starting rotation, at least as spring training camps get set to open in less than two weeks.

According to Mark Bowman of MLB.com, the Braves could still add a pitcher, but if they don't, Anderson has a spot. He's out of minor league options.

Per Bowman:

Anthopoulos is willing to add some insurance to a rotation that should be strong as long as Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach stay healthy. But he’s not going to add just to add. In other words, he would likely only add a starter who would be a desirable option to make a postseason start.

Or one that is at least a considerably better option than Grant Holmes and Ian Anderson, a pair of out-of-options hurlers who stand as the favorites to begin the season as Atlanta’s fourth and fifth starters, since Strider likely won’t return from right elbow surgery until the end of April.

Still just 26 years old, Anderson holds a 22-13 lifetime record for Atlanta. In 52 career starts, he's got a 3.97 ERA. He helped the Braves get to the NLCS in 2020 and helped them win the World Series in 2021, when he threw five no-hit innings against the Houston Astros.

Anderson struggled in 2022, pitching to an ERA of 5.00, and then missed all of 2023 with Tommy John Surgery. He came back to make 15 minor league appearances in 2024, going 3-2 with a 3.44 ERA across four levels. He had a 3.96 in 10 Triple-A appearances.

The Braves are coming off a season in which they finished second in the National League East and were eliminated in the NLDS by the San Diego Padres.

This offseason, they've added outfielder Jurickson Profar on a three-year deal.

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