Atlanta Braves make decision on Hurston Waldrep’s future after two MLB starts

Former Florida player Hurston Waldrep became the 85th former Gators player to reach the major leagues a few weeks ago, but his stay in Major League Baseball was short-lived.

Waldrep was sent back to Triple-A by Atlanta, according to a report from Braves writer for MLB.com Mark Bowman.

The call-up did not go particularly well for Hurston Waldrep, who was hit pretty hard during his two starts in the big leagues.

Waldrep allowed 13 earned runs in just 7.0 total innings of work, allowing nine hits in the process. He struck out just three batters while walking eight, with command a major issue.

Adding insult to injury, Waldrep gave up a grand slam in his final action against Tampa Bay, with Ben Rortvedt taking a yard from him and ultimately chasing Waldrep in his second start…and subsequently the majors.

Hurston Waldrep was recalled fairly quickly after leaving Florida following the 2023 season.

He played for four different minor league teams, with his most extensive action coming in Double-A ball. In Double-A, he went 3-4 with a 2.92 ERA, starting nine games. He pitched 49.1 innings and allowed 16 earned runs on 52 hits, but he struck out 48 and walked only 17.

This earned him a short stint in Triple-A before being called up by the Atlanta Braves.

In Florida, Waldrep was one of many stars on the mound. He is the program’s all-time record holder for strikeouts per nine innings, with 13.81. He was the 24th overall draft pick by the Atlanta Braves.

Waldrep was a second-team All-American as a junior in 2023 as Florida reached the College World Series.

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