The 22-year-old right-hander Hurston Waldrep, currently ranked as the Atlanta Braves No. 3 prospect, made his 2025 Spring Training debut in a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
And while it wasn’t a flashy outing, it was clean—one scoreless inning, no hits, no strikeouts, one walk. Simple. Efficient. Just a little bit of work, but nothing to complain about.
Waldrep needed 16 pitches to navigate four batters, which isn’t the smoothest efficiency in the world, but hey, first spring outing—knocking off the rust is part of the deal.
This was just his third-ever Spring Training appearance, and while the results don’t jump off the page, it’s all about the process at this stage.
A Rough Introduction to the Majors
Now, let’s rewind a bit. The Braves took Waldrep in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida, and in the blink of an eye—just 11 months later—he was on a big-league mound.
But let’s be real: he wasn’t ready. The Braves needed rotation help, and he got the call, but it didn’t go well. Two starts, seven innings, 13 earned runs. That’s a 16.71 ERA. That’s brutal. His WHIP? 2.43.
And before Atlanta could send him back to Triple-A, elbow inflammation shut him down for over a month.
Finding His Groove in the Minors
But here’s where things get interesting. After rehabbing, Waldrep returned to the minors and started to look like the guy the Braves believed in when they drafted him.
He put up a solid 3.38 ERA over 40 innings in Triple-A, but the real story was his last six starts: a 2.22 ERA and one run or fewer in five of them. That’s the kind of improvement that gets noticed.
Fast-forward to this spring, and while Waldrep isn’t expected to crack the starting rotation, he’s got a legitimate shot to stick in the bullpen if he impresses.
Last year in Spring Training, he tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings with just two hits allowed and four walks. That command is going to be the key.
What’s Next for Waldrep and the Braves?
If he can find the zone and keep hitters off balance, there’s a path to making the roster in some capacity. But let’s be honest—the safe bet is still on Waldrep starting the season in Triple-A.
That said, if he keeps building on what he showed at the end of last year, it won’t be long before we see him back in Atlanta. Hopefully, he will be a little more prepared for the challenge this time around.
