Ex Florida Baseball Star to Make MLB Debut with Braves

Less than a year ago, right-handed pitcher Hurston Waldrep started Florida Gators baseball's 24-4 win over LSU in Game 2 of the College World Series. Now, he's preparing to make his MLB debut.

Waldrep was called up by the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, the team announced. Waldrep is rated as Atlanta's No. 2 prospect by MLB.Com and is the No. 72 overall prospect league wide.

The 22-year-old Waldrep will make his debut Sunday, when the Braves take on the Washington Nationals at 1:35 p.m. EST inside Nationals Park. Waldrep has already arrived in Washington D.C. and spoke with reporters Saturday afternoon.

After being selected No. 24 overall last summer, Waldrep made stops at both levels of Class-A, Double-A and Triple-A. He finished 2023 with a 1.53 ERA while striking out 41 hitters across 29.1 innings in eight starts.

Waldrep has followed his stout opening act with a similarly strong 2024. He started the year back in Double-A with the Mississippi Braves, posting a 3-4 record with a 2.92 ERA in nine starts. Tossing 49.1 innings, Waldrep allowed 52 hits and two home runs while walking 17 and striking out 48.

The 6-2, 210-pound Waldrep spent the first two years of his college career at Southern Mississippi before transferring to Florida for the 2023 season. As a part of the national runners-up, Waldrep started 19 games, compiling a 10-3 record with a 4.16 ERA over 101.2 innings. He struck out 156 hitters, the second-most in program history, while walking 57 others.

While in Gainesville, Waldrep struck out 13.8 hitters per nine innings, the most ever by a Florida pitcher. He was a second-team All-American and an ABCA first-team Southeast All-Region selection.

Now, Waldrep adds yet another tally to the list of Florida baseball alums playing at the sport's highest level.