Spradlin made the team but struggled in the little playing time he got while also juggling a full academic schedule and a full-time job at The Home Depot to make ends meet.

Spradlin went on to play in an amateur baseball league while taking pitching lessons from former MLB pitcher Clyde Wright.

[6][7] On July 2, 1993, the Reds placed infielder Bip Roberts on the disabled list with a sprained thumb and promoted Spradlin from the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians.

[8] Spradlin made his Major League debut that evening at Riverfront Stadium against the Pittsburgh Pirates; he pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Bobby Ayala.

[1] Spradlin recorded the first and only hit of his Major League career on August 20, 1998; he struck a double off of Clint Sodowsky to lead off the tenth inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

[12][16] Although Spradlin enjoyed what was described in the San Francisco Examiner as "his best season" in 1998,[17] the Phillies traded him on November 13, 1998 to the Cleveland Indians for Chad Ogea.

Indians general manager John Hart told reporters Spradlin was "going to be a big part of our success [in 1999] and in the future.

"[26] After undergoing surgery and rehabbing for ten months, Spradlin landed with the Long Beach Breakers of the low-level independent Western League.

[4] Spradlin has served multiple separate stints as the pitching coach of the Long Beach Armada of the Golden Baseball League, including in 2011.