Atlanta Braves decide on Hurston Waldrep’s future following two MLB starts

Hurston Waldrep, a former Florida standout, became the 85th former Gator to reach the big leagues a few weeks ago, but his time in Major League Baseball was brief.

Atlanta has returned Waldrep to Triple-A, according to Mark Bowman, a Braves beat writer for MLB.com.

Hurston Waldrep’s call-up did not go well, as he was smacked hard in his two major league starts.

Waldrep allowed 13 earned runs in just 7.0 innings of work, along with nine hits. He struck out only three batters and walked eight, with command being a big issue.

Waldrep’s final outing against Tampa Bay resulted in a grand slam by Ben Rortvedt, who chased Waldrep from his second start and into the majors.

Hurston Waldrep was called up shortly after returning from Florida following the 2023 season.

He appeared for four different minor league organizations, with his most substantial action coming in Double-A level. In Double-A, he went 3-4 with a 2.92 ERA while starting nine games. He threw 49.1 innings, allowing 16 earned runs on 52 hits, while striking out 48 and walking only 17.

That earned him a brief time in Triple-A before being called up by the Atlanta Braves.

Waldrep was one of several standout pitchers at Florida. He holds the program’s all-time record for strikes per nine innings, with 13.81. He was the Atlanta Braves’ 24th overall draft pick.

Waldrep earned a second-team All-American as a junior in 2023, helping Florida reach the College World Series final series.

Hurston Waldrep went 10-3 as a junior, with a 4.16 ERA and 19 weekend starts. Opposing hitters had a.228 batting average against him.