President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos, speaking to MLB Network Radio, had high praise and lofty expectations for one of Atlanta’s pitching prospects – 2023 1st rounder Hurston Waldrep.

Speaking to MLB Network Radio, he expressed confidence in Waldrep’s stuff being able to contribute next season.

Waldrep, 21, was Atlanta’s 1st round selection last year, coming in at #24 overall out of the University of Florida.

He had the fastest progression through the minor leagues of any pitcher drafted in 2023, finishing his season in AAA after eight starts and a 1.53 ERA. When you combine his college production last season with his time in the minors, he pitched 131 innings with 197 strikeouts and 73 walks in 2023.

Waldrep’s successful ascent through the minors is partially due to his unique pitch mix – Waldrep throws both a splitter and a gyro slider, two distinct pitches that are both relatively uncommon in MLB

The splitter, a variation on a changeup, racked up a 64% swing and miss in 2023, compared to the MLB average of only 35%. He throws it with very little movement to the armside, unlike most – of the six other splitters that come out from a similar release point or higher, his has the least horizontal movement – and so it drops below bats rather suddenly as it approaches the strike zone. Michael Baumann, writing for Fangraphs after last summer’s draft, explained that this unpredictable, late movement is due to its relative lack of spin:

But the attribute of Waldrep’s that interests me most is his splitter, which does not spin. When a projectile is not stabilized or directed by spin, it wobbles inconsistently from here to there, like a stricken bug, or an errant musketball.