Braves No. 2 Prospect Finally Finding Stride in Triple-A

A potential solution could be materializing for the Atlanta Braves' rotation, as their No. 2 prospect, Hurston Waldrep, is starting to find his way this season in Triple-A.

Over his last five starts, he has a 2.51 ERA with 23 strikeouts across 28 2/3 innings pitched. He's allowed two runs or fewer in four of those starts. Before this stretch, he hadn't allowed fewer than two runs since his first start of the 2025 campaign. He's done it three times since June 8.

He's gotten his ERA under 5.00 for the first time since he had a 1.80 ERA after his first start of the season.

If Waldrep keeps this up for a few more starts, the Braves might be comfortable with giving him another shot at the Majors. He made two starts last season, allowing a combined 13 earned runs over a combined seven innings pitched. He hasn't been back since, and because of how he had been pitching in Triple-A, the Braves have been hesitant to call him up, even with the rotation coming apart at the seams.

Instead of giving Waldrep a shot, the Braves have given multiple bullpen days a try and called up 20-year-old prospect Didier Fuentes to the Majors after one Triple-A outing. He had fallen to that low of a rung on the ladder.

However, the timing of Waldrep's turnaround couldn't be better since the Braves still need all the starting pitching they can get. They went into the All-Star Break without five starters due to injuries and only settled on a fourth pitcher the morning before penciling in Davis Daniel in a start on Sunday. As of the publication of this article, Daniel is still on the active roster.

Nathan Wiles looked like he would be an answer since the Braves called him up last week, but he was optioned before he could take the mound at the MLB level.

Heading into the All-Star Game, the rotation is Spencer Strider, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder and Davis Daniel (assuming he sticks around). A fifth spot is up for grabs. Manager Brian Snitker has a preference for using a starter over a bullpen day. Waldrep could soon be in the right spot to try and fill it.

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