ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves plan to bring up Hurston Waldrep, the team’s first-round pick in the 2023 draft, to make his major league debut Sunday against the Washington Nationals.
Waldrep, 22, will start the finale of the four-game series, pushing left-hander Max Fried back to the opener of a three-game set at Baltimore on Tuesday night.
“It’s just like we’ve been doing all year, just giving guys extra days,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He’d been throwing the ball pretty well. It was his time to throw. We’re going to continue probably do this all year, where we give these guys extra days’ rest. We’re trying to keep them all healthy and upright as we wind everything down.”
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He is 3-5 with a 3.09 ERA in 10 starts between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett this year.
The former University of Florida pitcher grew up in Thomasville and excelled on the diamond and the football field for Thomasville High School.
The right-hander played for two seasons at Southern Miss before he transferred to Florida. As a junior, he helped the Gators reach the College World Series finals.
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“I grew up a Braves fan,” Waldrep said. “Just being able to put this uniform on, it will mean a lot.”
He’s currently the Braves’ No. 2 prospect.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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