Road to The Show™: Braves’ Waldrep
MiLB.com's Road to the Show Scouting Report series spotlights players who are just starting their professional careers, focusing on what the experts are projecting for these young phenoms. Here's a look at second-ranked Braves’ prospect Hurston Waldrep. For more player journeys on The Road to The Show, click here. Hurston
MiLB.com's Road to the Show Scouting Report series spotlights players who are just starting their professional careers, focusing on what the experts are projecting for these young phenoms. Here's a look at second-ranked Braves’ prospect Hurston Waldrep. For more player journeys on The Road to The Show, click here.
Hurston Waldrep features one of the best pitches in the Minors, and it’s already helped him score a non-roster invitation to big league Spring Training ahead of his first full professional season.
Atlanta’s second-ranked prospect reached Triple-A Gwinnett in September, less than three months after being drafted out of the University of Florida. Though he’s unlikely to claim a rotation spot out of camp, Waldrep is projected to join the big league staff sometime this season.
The right-hander pitched to a 1.53 ERA in eight starts across four levels of the Minors after being drafted in July. He completed more innings (29 ⅓) and struck out more batters (41) than anyone else in the 2023 Draft class.
His pitch mix is headlined by his splitter, which was dubbed “a nightmare” by fellow Braves draftee Cade Kuehler, who was Waldrep’s throwing partner on Team USA last summer. In last month’s MLB Pipeline executives poll, the pitch – which generated a 63 percent swing-and-miss rate and 45 percent chase rate for Florida last season – was voted as the second-best secondary offering among prospects in 2024.
Waldrep’s arsenal also features an upper-90s fastball and potential plus slider, but his command of all three pitches could use some development. In his final college season, he finished third among Division I pitchers with 156 strikeouts and fourth with a 13.8 K/9.
“We love the pure stuff he has,” Braves assistant scouting director Ronit Shah told MLB.com after the Draft. “He’s athletic. He’s got three plus pitches, maybe four. The splitter might be the best secondary pitch in the whole Draft for us.”
Like many Braves’ Draft targets who have stuck in the Majors, Waldrep is a Georgia native. He attended Thomasville High School near the Florida border and was a star on the school’s baseball team and one of the best kickers/punters in the state for the football team.
Waldrep led the baseball team to three consecutive regional titles and was named the regional Pitcher of the Year in 2019. He also played with Team Georgia in the Junior Sunbelt Classic that summer.
As the shortened Draft coincided with his graduation year, Waldrep opted to attend college, first heading to Southern Mississippi. He appeared in 11 games, all as a reliever, for the Golden Eagles in 2021, compiling a 3.31 ERA in 16 ⅓ innings. He notched three saves and struck out 16 batters in his first college season.
Waldrep moved into the rotation as a sophomore and helped lead Southern Miss to a Super Regional berth. He finished with a 3.20 ERA and an impressive 140 punchouts in 90 total innings. His 36.8 percent strikeout rate ranked fourth among Division I pitchers, and he was named a Third Team All-American by D1Baseball.
After two seasons at Southern Miss, Waldrep was one of the most sought after transfers in the portal when he landed at the University of Florida for his Draft year. During his lone season with the Gators, Waldrep posted a 4.16 ERA over 101 ⅔ innings in 19 starts. His 13.8 K/9 set a single-season program record and his 156 total strikeouts were one short of the program record.
Waldrep made three of his best starts in the NCAA tournament, during which he struck out 37 and allowed two runs in 21 total innings.
MLB Pipeline ranked Waldrep No. 19 in his Draft class, and the Braves were able to grab him with the No. 24 overall pick. After signing for a reported $3 million bonus, Waldrep headed to Single-A Augusta. He made just one start for the GreenJackets, recording eight of nine outs via strikeout and yielding two runs, one unearned, on three hits.
Waldrep’s next three starts came with High-A Rome, where he struck out 17 and allowed just one earned run and four hits in 12 innings. He was promoted once again in September to Double-A Mississippi, where he struck out 11 and allowed three earned runs over 10 innings (2.70 ERA) in his next three starts before wrapping up his season in Gwinnett.
In his lone outing for the Stripers and final appearance of 2023, Waldrep hurled 4 ⅓ scoreless innings, yielding four hits and three walks while striking out five.
At present, the Braves probably have about seven options for starting pitchers ahead of Waldrep on the depth chart. Considering his electric mix and ability to miss bats, his quickest path to the Majors may be as a bullpen option. He’ll be one of the more intriguing pitching prospects to watch as pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training this week.
Here's what the experts at MLB Pipeline have to say about Waldrep:
Scouting grades (20-80 scale)
FASTBALL: 65
SLIDER: 55
SPLITTER: 65
CONTROL: 45
OVERALL: 55
“After two years of showing dominant stuff at Southern Miss, one as a reliever and one in the weekend rotation, Waldrep entered the transfer portal and moved to the University of Florida for his junior year. The Team USA alum served as the Gators’ Saturday starter and continued to show off an impressive power repertoire, with uneven results. He showed enough for the Braves to take him with their first-round pick, then watched him race up the organizational ladder, touching all four full-season stops and finishing at Triple-A.
There is no question about Waldrep’s stuff playing against good competition. He left college with a career 13.5 K/9 rate, then struck out 12.6 per nine during his pro debut last summer. His bread-and-butter is an absolutely unhittable splitter, an upper-80s pitch that generated a miss rate north of 60 percent both at Florida and at the upper levels of the Braves system. He doesn’t always command his fastball well, but it has plenty of velocity, up to 99 mph consistently. He also has a hard upper-80s slider that is plus at times and misses a lot of bats as well.
Waldrep has used an up-tempo delivery with some effort in the past, something he’ll have to keep working on so he can land his premium stuff in the zone more consistently. There’s a little reliever risk here, but if he can iron things out, his frontline starter stuff could play in a big league rotation soon. Even if it doesn’t quite click, his stuff in shorter stints could be downright nasty in high-leverage bullpen situations.”
Gerard Gilberto is a reporter for MiLB.com.
Shuckers Announce 2025 Promotions, Giveaway and Theme Nights
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers have announced daily promotions, giveaways and theme nights for the team’s 10th anniversary season, set to begin at Keesler Federal Park on Tuesday, April 8 at 6:05 p.m. against the Columbus Clingstones. The promotional schedule is highlighted by multiple premium giveaways, including a Shuckers
Hunt, Bullpen Star in 2-1 Shuckers Loss to Trash Pandas
MADISON, AL – K.C. Hunt dazzled for the second consecutive start with seven strikeouts over 5.1 innings, but was outdueled in a 2-1 loss for the Biloxi Shuckers (29-21) against the Rocket City Trash Pandas (18-30) at Toyota Field on Saturday night. Despite the loss, the Shuckers held the Trash
Pitching Dominates in Shuckers 2-1 Win Over Trash Pandas
MADISON, AL – Behind a dominant pitching performance from starter Tate Kuehner and 3.1 perfect innings from the bullpen, the Biloxi Shuckers (29-20) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Rocket City Trash Pandas (17-30) at Toyota Field on Friday night. Shuckers closer Justin Yeager also
Wood Records First Double-A Homer, Shuckers Swept in Doubleheader
MADISON, AL – The Biloxi Shuckers (28-20) were swept in a doubleheader against the Rocket City Trash Pandas (17-29) at Toyota Field on Thursday night. The Shuckers fell 2-1 in game one and 4-1 in game two. Despite the sweep, starters Brett Wichrowski and Nate Peterson combined to allow one
Shuckers Fall to Trash Pandas in Series Opener
MADISON, AL – The Biloxi Shuckers (28-18) dropped a series-opener to the Rocket City Trash Pandas (15-29), 3-2, at Toyota Field on Wednesday night. The game marked the Shuckers’ second consecutive one-run game and 14th of the season decided by two runs or less. Both teams went scoreless into the
Shuckers, Trash Pandas Postponed on Tuesday
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers and Rocket City Trash Pandas were postponed on Tuesday at Toyota Field. The game has been rescheduled to Thursday, May 29 as part of a doubleheader beginning at 4:05 p.m. Both games will be seven innings. The series is now set to begin on
Wilken, Lara Play Hero as Shuckers Snatch Six-Run Comeback Win Over Smokies
BILOXI, MS – Brock Wilken’s walk-off fielder’s choice in the ninth capped off a six-run comeback and gave the Biloxi Shuckers (28-17) an improbable 7-6 win over the Knoxville Smokies (20-23) at Keesler Federal Park on Sunday night. The game also featured multiple defensive web gems, including Luis Lara’s sixth
Lara's Career-Day Leads Shuckers to Series Win Over Smokies
BILOXI, MS – Luis Lara set a season-high with three hits and set a new career-high with four RBI as the Biloxi Shuckers (27-17) defeated the Knoxville Smokies (20-22), 8-5, to clinch a series win at Keesler Federal Park on Saturday night. During the game, the Shuckers transformed into the
Shuckers Ride Kuehner's Dominant Start to 3-1 Win Over Smokies
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (26-17) rode another great start from Tate Kuehner for a 3-1 win over the Knoxville Smokies (20-21) at Keesler Federal Park on Friday night. With the win and a Pensacola Blue Wahoos loss, the Shuckers have opened a three-game lead in the South Division,
Wichrowski Strikes Out Six, Boeve Drives in Both Runs in 2-1 Shuckers Win
BILOXI, MS – Mike Boeve drove in both runs with a two-RBI single in the fifth, leading the Biloxi Shuckers (25-17) to a 2-1 win over the Knoxville Smokies (20-20) at Keesler Federal Park on Thursday night. Shuckers’ starter Brett Wichrowski also starred with a season-high six strikeouts and 12
Shuckers Fall to Smokies in Wild, 8-6, Affair
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (24-17) fell to the Knoxville Smokies (20-19), 8-6, at Keesler Federal Park on Wednesday night. Despite the loss, Brock Wilken continued his hot May with a two-RBI double and starter Alexander Cornielle lowered his ERA to 1.93 after allowing one run over 5.1 innings.
Spain's 3-RBI Night Leads Shuckers to 4-3 Win over Smokies
BILOXI, MS – Behind Garrett Spain’s three-RBI night, the Biloxi Shuckers (24-16) earned a win over the Knoxville Smokies (19-19), 4-3, in the series opener on Tuesday night at Keesler Federal Park. With the win, the Shuckers now sit in first place by themselves, a game up on the Pensacola
Shuckers Fall to Biscuits, 4-1, in Series Finale in Montgomery
MONTGOMERY, AL – The Biloxi Shuckers (23-16) fell to the Montgomery Biscuits (21-17), 4-1, at Riverwalk Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Despite the loss, the Shuckers split the series with the Biscuits, extending their streak to five consecutive series without a loss. The Biscuits struck first with a first-inning home run
Kuehner, Shuckers Flirt with No-Hitter in 6-3 Win over Biscuits
MONTGOMERY, AL – Tate Kuehner dominated with 5.2 no-hit innings and Stiven Cruz brought the no-hit bid into the eighth as the Biloxi Shuckers (23-15) defeated the Montgomery Biscuits (20-17), 6-3, at Riverwalk Stadium on Saturday night. With the win, the Shuckers secured at least a series split with a
Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with the Shuckers, Bluey and Bingo
BILOXI, MS – Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with the Biloxi Shuckers at Keesler Federal Park from May 20-25 as they take on the Knoxville Smokies, Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs! Throughout the week, fans can access the Corona Premier Tiki Bar, right field beach area and Schooner’s Splash Zone
Shuckers Suffer Walk-Off Loss to Biscuits
MONTGOMERY, AL – The Biloxi Shuckers (22-15) fell to the Montgomery Biscuits (20-16), 4-3, on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth inning at Riverwalk Stadium on Friday night. The loss marked the Shuckers’ first walk-off loss of the season. The Biscuits opened the game with a solo home run
Boeve's 4-RBI Night Leads Shuckers to League-Leading 22nd Win
MONTGOMERY, AL – The Biloxi Shuckers (22-14) used a four-RBI night from Mike Boeve and a Zavier Warren’s 34th career home run in a Shuckers uniform for a 9-3 win over the Montgomery Biscuits (19-16) at Riverwalk Stadium on Thursday night. Through the first three games of this week’s series
Warren Ties Career-High with 4 Hits, Wilken Makes History in Shuckers' Loss
MONTGOMERY, AL – Despite a four-hit night from Zavier Warren and Brock Wilken’s record-setting 10th home run of the year, the Biloxi Shuckers (21-14) fell to the Montgomery Biscuits (19-15), 7-4, at Riverwalk Stadium on Wednesday night. Warren’s four-hit night tied his career high and marked a career-best at the
Pratt's First inning Home Run Sets Stage for Shuckers Dominant 10-4 Win
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (21-13) tied their season high with 10 runs and 11 walks in a dominant 10-4 win over the Montgomery Biscuits (18-15) at Riverwalk Stadium on Tuesday night. With the win, the Shuckers extended their win streak to six consecutive games and have won 20
Wilken's 3-Hit, 3-RBI Day Lifts Shuckers to Win in Series Finale
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (20-13) earned their third win across 24 hours and their fifth consecutive win, 5-1, over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (19-14) at Keesler Federal Park on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Shuckers earned sole possession of first place in the South Division for the
Dominant Doubleheader Sweep Pulls Shuckers Into First-Place Tie
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (19-13) recorded their second consecutive doubleheader sweep over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (19-13) and pulled into a tie for first place in the South Division. The Shuckers, who stretched their win streak to four straight and have won 18 of 24, won 4-1 in
Shuckers, Blue Wahoos Postponed on Friday
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers and Pensacola Blue Wahoos were postponed on Friday at Keesler Federal Park due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, May 10 at 5:05 p.m. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and both games will be
Shuckers Outscore Blue Wahoos 15-2 in Doubleheader Sweep
BILOXI, MS – Across two games, the Biloxi Shuckers (17-13) outscored the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (19-11) 15-2, out-hit them 15-6, recorded nine extra-base hits, including four home runs, and saw 323 pitches in a sweep at Keesler Federal Park on Thursday night. The Shuckers' offense exploded in game one for
Shuckers, Blue Wahoos Postponed on Wednesday
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers and Pensacola Blue Wahoos were postponed on Wednesday at Keesler Federal Park due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Thursday, May 8 at 5:35 p.m. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. and both games will be
Pratt Makes Defensive Web Gem, Records Two Hits, Shuckers Fall to Blue Wahoos
BILOXI, MS – Despite a multi-hit effort from Cooper Pratt and a hit in Mike Boeve’s return to the lineup for the first time since August 2024, the Biloxi Shuckers (15-13) fell to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (19-9), 6-1, at Keesler Federal Park on Tuesday night. The game marked Boeve’s