The Atlanta Braves have a job opening in their rotation, if anyone wants it.
Since starter Spencer Strider went down, Atlanta’s cycled through options in the 5th spot of the rotation and so far, no one’s seized the spot and kept it.
The Braves have sent five different pitchers to the mound, and only one’s had an ERA below 4.66 – AJ Smith-Shawver, who hit the injured list after one scoreless start with a strained oblique that should keep him out until sometime in July.
Prospect showed some promise in his first outing, going five innings with three runs allowed, all on a homer from Washington’s Lane Thomas.
Waldrep, 22, was Atlanta’s first-round pick last season out of the University of Florida, where he took the Gators to last season’s College World Series.
Making a MiLB-high eight starts after the draft, Waldrep’s leading all 2023 draftees with seventeen combined starts in his professional career.
He’s 3-5 with a 2.40 ERA and 89 strikeouts (10.2 K/9) to 33 walks (3.8 BB/9) so far in 2024.
Waldrep’s been tasked with some interesting pitch arsenal restrictions, as is typical of Atlanta’s development directives to their minor-league pitchers.
He’s sidelined the fastball (only 38% usage) and superb splitter, throwing more sliders and curveballs than he did last season.
After two rough outings to start the season, giving up ten runs on a combined seven innings in his first two starts, he’s rebounded to be one of the system’s best pitchers.
In his last seven Double-A starts prior to the promotion, he’s gone 3-2 with a 1.28 ERA, striking out 41 to only 12 walks in his 42.1 innings.
