Wyatt Langford isn’t the only 2023 Florida baseball draftee moving up the minor league ranks rather quickly. Right-hander [autotag]Hurston Waldrep[/autotag], who was selected 24th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2023 MLB draft, is being called up to High-A Rome (Braves) after just one dominant start for the Augusta GreenJackets in Single-A.
Waldrep skipped the rookie levels of the minor almost entirely. The Braves sent him straight to Augusta, skipping over the complex league where most rookies wet their boots. All he did was strike out eight batters in three innings.
As usual, Waldrep’s splitter dropped off the table, baffling right-handers and setting up a high fastball that came in anywhere from 94-97 mph. He did give up two runs on three hits and a walk during the outing, but only one was earned.
In case you missed it, Hurston Waldrep is NASTY.
Enjoy all 8 strikeouts from his professional debut on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/joIA0CBO5I
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) August 7, 2023
Waldrep has a chance to quickly make his way into most top-100 prospect lists. His splitter might have been the most dominant pitch in college baseball last season and was getting MLB comparisons in May.
The Braves used a first-round pick and signed him to a deal worth 92% of the slot value. Their intention is to move him up as quickly as possible. All Waldrep has to do is pitch well at each level he reaches. So far, so good. Let’s see how High-A treats him.
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