School: University of Florida; Class: Junior
Position: RHP; B/T: R/R
Height: 6-1; Weight: 210
Previously Drafted: N/A
High School: Thomasville High School
| FB | SL | SF | Command | Overall |
| 70 | 55 | 55/60 | 40 | 50 |
Background: A two-sport star athlete during his prep days at Thomasville High School, Waldrep, who clearly excelled on the diamond, was also a well-regarded punter and kicker for the football team as well. Ranked by Perfect Game as the fourteenth best righty in in the state of Georgia, Waldrep spent his freshman season working out of Southern Mississippi’s bullpen, throwing 16.1 innings with 16 punch outs and eight free passes to go along with a trio of saves.
He moved into the Golden Eagles’ rotation at the start of his sophomore season. And he flourished.
Making 17 starts that year, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound right-hander posted a dominant 140-to-33 strikeout-to-walk ratio in only 90.0 innings of work, tallying a tidy 3.20 ERA while winning six games. He would make one brief start for the Team USA during the summer, throwing just 2.1 innings with four runs (three earned).
Waldrep would transfer to the land of the Gators prior to his junior year. And the production – more or less – remained the same as he moved into the SEC. Across 18 starts, the hard-throwing righty averaged 14 strikeouts and a whopping 4.6 walks per nine innings to go along with a 10-3 win-loss record and a 3.99 ERA.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
- Since 2011, only 10 SEC hurlers averaged at least 13 strikeouts per nine innings in a season (min. 75 IP): Paul Skenes, Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter, Asa Lacy, Ethan Small, Zack Thompson, Will Bednar, Doug Nikhazy, and Hurston Waldrep. Only two of those pitchers posted a walk rate north of 4.0 BB/9: Lacy, the enigmatic former first rounder, and Waldrep.
Power-based, three-pitch arsenal. Waldrep attacks hitters with a plus-plus mid- to upper-90s fastball, often touching near triple digits. He’ll complement the offering with a strong above-average upper-80s slider and a borderline plus split-finger fastball. Max effort on every pitch, Hurston’s lack of command / control may eventually push him into a relief role.
Ceiling: 2.5-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
Grade: First Round
