Former Florida standout Hurston Waldrep recently became the 85th former Gator to reach the MLB, but his time in the majors was brief. According to Braves beat writer Mark Bowman from MLB.com, Waldrep has been sent back down to Triple-A by Atlanta.
Waldrep’s stint in the big leagues didn’t go well, as he struggled in his two starts. He allowed 13 earned runs over just 7.0 innings, giving up nine hits, striking out three, and walking eight, with command being a significant issue. His final appearance saw him give up a grand slam to Ben Rortvedt, leading to his exit from the game and subsequently being sent back to the minors.
Waldrep was called up quickly after his 2023 season at Florida. In the minors, he played for four different teams, with his most extensive action in Double-A, where he posted a 3-4 record with a 2.92 ERA in nine starts.
Over 49.1 innings, he allowed 16 earned runs on 52 hits, struck out 48, and walked 17. This performance earned him a brief stint in Triple-A before being called up by the Braves.
At Florida, Waldrep was a standout pitcher, holding the program’s all-time record for strikeouts per nine innings at 13.81. He was the 24th overall draft pick by the Braves and a second-team All-American as a junior in 2023, when he went 10-3 with a 4.16 ERA over 19 weekend starts, holding opposing hitters to a .228 batting average.
