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Tell me if you've heard this one before: The Atlanta Braves drafted a lot of pitchers in the draft. If you placed any bets on this matter, you probably won some money. The Braves walked out of the 2023 MLB Draft with eight total pitching prospects to add to their farm system. In fact, four out of their first five picks were pitchers.
Pitching is undoubtedly one of the secret sauces to building a successful team, whether those pitchers eventually make up your own roster or they're traded off to another team for some valuable return. It's certainly proving well for the Braves since their return to prominence within the league's elite, as they seem to have a never-ending stable of arms.
In the Braves first pick of the MLB Draft, Atlanta chose to look at one of the most gifted athletic conferences in all of collegiate sports in the SEC. They chose Florida Gators' pitcher, Hurston Waldrep. And even though it was their first pick, he's still considered one of the biggest steals of the entire draft.
Hurston Waldrep RHP, Florida Gators
In their first overall pick at 24, Hurston Waldrep is considered one of the steals of the 2023 MLB Draft for the Braves because of his exceptional pitching repertoire and his ability to dominate hitters, per FanGraphs.
What sets the former Florida Gator apart is his unique combination of skills. While his fastball and slider are impressive, it's his splitter that stands out the most. Waldrep's splitter is described as a grotesque, hateful pitch that drops ferociously, making it extremely difficult for hitters to make contact. College hitters swung and missed at Waldrep's splitter more than they did at other pitchers' sliders during the season.
Additionally, Waldrep possesses a rare combination of high-spin breaking balls and low-spin changeups or splitters. This combination of pitches makes him stand out among other pitchers in the majors. Waldrep's repertoire is well-balanced, utilizing all his pitches effectively. The biggest issues for the Braves will be fixing his command, throwing strikes consistently.
Comparisons to other pitchers in the majors are challenging due to Waldrep's unique repertoire. However, pitchers like Logan Gilbert and Kodai Senga share some similarities with Waldrep in terms of arsenal of pitches. Gilbert and Waldrep both have pitches with a lot of vertical movement, and Senga, known for his “ghost fork,” throws a split-change similar to Waldrep's splitter.
Hurston Waldrep to the Braves. The other big steal of this draft. A ++ splitter, + CB, above-average SL… oh and the FB is around a 50 as well. Well see whether they can call better games for him than UF did, bc the secondaries are truly elite
— Will Dodge (@willtdodge) July 10, 2023
Braves just got the steal of the draft
— Aiden Hodge (@AidenHodge8) July 10, 2023
Braves get an absolute steal in Hurston Waldrep, South Georgia boy with some of the best now-stuff in the class. Power FB, power curveball, plus-plus splitter. Control over command for now but ATL knows how to develop arms and he could explode in this system. Ace material.
— Zack Silverman 🇮🇱 (@ZackSilverman18) July 10, 2023
Hurston Waldrep could quickly add to Braves championship aspirations
The Braves' decision to draft a college pitcher like Waldrep instead of a high school pitcher could indeed be seen as a sign that Atlanta is focused on maximizing their championship window. By opting for a college arm like Waldrep over a high school prospect, the Braves may be aiming to accelerate his path to the major leagues.
With the Braves currently excelling and holding the best record in baseball, along with their recent World Series title in 2021, it's evident that they are in a prime position to compete for championships nearly every season. By selecting Waldrep, they have someone who has already demonstrated his abilities against higher-level competition, which makes for a hopeful quicker call up when and if he's needed in the future.
You also have to consider such things as the impending free agency of Max Fried, where no contract extension has been mentioned, or really even expected. Waldrep's selection then becomes even more significant. He could emerge as a valuable asset for the Braves, either as a bullpen contributor or a potential rotation option in the near future. It wouldn't be surprising to see this talented pitcher in the show in two years.
