Former Florida Baseball Player to Make Braves MLB Debut.

On Sunday, Hurston Waldrep will open for the Atlanta Braves.

Hurston Waldrep, a right-hand pitcher, opened Florida Gators baseball’s 24-4 victory over LSU in Game 2 of the College World Series less than a year ago. He’s now getting ready to play in Major League Baseball.

The Atlanta Braves announced on Saturday that Waldrep had been called up. MLB.Com ranks Waldrep as Atlanta’s No. 2 prospect and as the 72nd best prospect in the entire league.

On Sunday at 1:35 p.m. EST inside Nationals Park, the Braves will play the Washington Nationals, and the 22-year-old Waldrep will make his major league debut. Waldrep talked with media on Saturday afternoon after arriving in Washington, D.C.

Following his summertime selection as the No. 24 overall pick, Waldrep played in Class-A, Double-A, and Triple-A levels. In eight starts and 29.1 innings pitched, he struck out 41 batters and finished 2023 with a 1.53 ERA.

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 attended Southern Mississippi for his first two years of college before transferring to Florida in 2023. Waldrep started 19 games for the national runners-up, logging a 10-3 record with a 4.16 ERA over 101.2 innings. He walked 57 batters and struck out 156, the second-highest total in program history.

Waldrep recorded the highest strikeout rate of any Florida pitcher when he was in Gainesville, 13.8 hitters per nine innings. He was chosen for the Southeast All-Region ABCA first team and the second team All-American.

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