Sometimes, a whisper in the wind becomes a thunderclap. For Austin Pope, a 15th-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017, six years in the minor leagues was not a slow burn; it was a test of endurance, resolve, and, above all, faith. He labored in obscurity, pitching in quiet stadiums before sparse crowds, long after many of his draft class had either made it to the majors or vanished from the sport entirely. But Pope stayed. He waited, and the call finally came for the big leagues made by the Braves.
A Debut in the Shadows of Dodger Stadium
The Diamondbacks, bleeding bullpen arms late in the season and out of options, turned to Pope. On September 25, under the bright lights of Dodger Stadium, with the Diamondbacks down big, Pope entered a game already lost on the scoreboard but not without personal consequence. In two scoreless innings against one of the most potent lineups in baseball, Pope carved out something far more important than a stat line; he proved he belonged.
And then, just like that, he was gone again. Optioned back to Triple-A the next day. Two innings, zero earned runs, one brief moment in the sun.
Arizona Moves On, But Pope Doesn’t Fade
Arizona made its position clear by November. Pope, they decided, wasn’t a part of their 40-man future. When the World Series ended, they waived him. Offered him a spot back in Triple-A Reno. But Pope declined. After all this time, he had more than just innings in his arm; he had a taste of the big leagues, and he wasn’t ready to let it go.
Now, at 27, Austin Pope signs for the Braves not as a failed experiment, but as a wild card, a pitcher with something few others can claim: a perfect ERA in the majors, however fleeting.
The Braves Come Calling
The Braves will see that and are taking the chance Arizona didn’t. Because sometimes, all it takes is one appearance. And if it’s the right one, it can echo louder than a hundred minor league starts. For Pope, this might be the echo that might just lead him back to the mound, under the lights, one more time.
