As the Atlanta Braves wrap up their weekend road series against the Washington Nationals, they'll be making a big roster move for Sunday's finale, per David O'Brien of The Athletic:
“The Braves are calling up top prospect Hurston Waldrep to start Sunday's series finale against the Nationals in Washington. Waldrep, 22, was a first-round pick less than 12 months ago out of the University of Florida and has made 18 minor league starts including 2 in Triple A.”
The Braves top prospect, Waldrep had a 2.92 ERA in 9 Double-A starts this season, with 48 strikeouts and 17 walks in 49 1/3 innings, before being promoted to Triple A and striking out a career-high 11 with 1 walk in 6 innings of his Triple-A season debut Sunday.
After struggling in his first two minor league starts, the Braves prospect has ramped things up, also per O'Brien:
“After allowing 15 hits, 10 runs and 5 walks in 7 innings over his first 2 starts this season, Waldrep has a 1.68 ERA and .584 opp. OPS in his past 8 starts, with 52 Ks & 13 walks in 48 1/3 IP. His only homer allowed in that span was by the 2nd batter of his Triple-A season debut.”
The former Florida Gators starter is a power pitcher who hits the upper-90s on his fastball, complementing that with a nasty changeup, which ultimately helped Florida reach the College World Series final. The 21-year-old also features a slider and curveball and is said to have one of the best splitters in the entire Braves organization at the moment.
The reason for the move is nothing for Braves fans to be alarmed over. Atlanta is just pushing Max Fried back for an extra day of rest. Since they're off Monday, he'll have two extra days before Tuesday's game at Baltimore, and the rest of the starters will get extra rest as a result.
Braves manager Brian Snitker has made it a point to get extra rest for starters whenever they can, especially after the injury to Spencer Strider.
Fellow Braves rookie pitcher trying to find his way
Hurston Waldrep isn't the only Braves rookie getting starts this season. Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach was roughed up in his second career start and Atlanta was shut out for the first time in more than a year in their 9-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox last Wednesday.
“Lot of strikes, kid is learning,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said per ESPN. “He doesn’t have a lot to fall back on yet. But the stuff was good. He threw a lot of strikes. Got hurt with some two-strike, probably got too much of the plate. But he competes really well. Stuff is good and there’s a lot of upside there.”
Schwellenbach (0-2) allowed six runs on seven hits with two walks over 4 2/3 innings. In his first career start the previous week, he pitched well enough against the Washington Nationals in his five innings of work but made one bad pitch – allowing a three-run homer to Lane Thomas – to take the loss.
The Braves' 2021 second-round pick was called up to the big leagues last week as the team continues to look for a starting pitcher to replace Spencer Strider in the rotation after Atlanta's ace was lost for the season for elbow surgery. Max Fried, Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and Charlie Morton have excelled for the most part in the 1-4 spots but 2023 All-Star Bryce Elder, A.J. Smith-Shawver, and now Schwellenbach have all failed to get results in the no. 5 slot.
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