Hurston Waldrep

School: Florida Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
BA Grade:55/Extreme
Tools:Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 65. Control: 40.

Waldrep drew some interest from Georgia area scouts out of high school in 2020, but he made it to campus at Southern Mississippi, and struck out 140 batters in just 90 innings in 2022—the eighth-most strikeouts of any Division I arm. Following the season, Waldrep pitched with Team USA and transferred to Florida, where in 2023 he posted a 4.16 ERA over 101.2 innings, with a 34.7% strikeout rate and 12.7% walk rate. Waldrep is a 6-foot-2, 210-pound righthander who attacks hitters with electric arm speed and some of the best pure stuff in the class. However, his delivery also features plenty of violence and movement, with a drop-and-drive lower half, a deep and long arm stroke that turns into an artificial, over-the-top slot thanks to a significant tilt, with plenty of head whack and recoil in his finish. That delivery and Waldrep’s track record as a below-average strike thrower add considerable reliever risk to his profile, but his pitch mix counters that with tantalizing upside potential. His fastball sits 95-96 mph and has been up to 99 mph and he has a trio of secondaries that are all now swing-and-miss offerings. His upper-80s split-changeup is a vicious pitch that completely falls off the table as it approaches the plate with 1,200 rpm spin and around 14 inches of IVB separation from his fastball. He also throws a downer, 12-to-6 curveball in the low 80s and a hard, mid-80s slider. He flashes four plus offerings, but he sprays his fastball consistently and will need to throw the ball over the plate more frequently in pro ball to stick as a starter.