Braves prospect Waldrep works through ‘growing pains’ at Triple-A Gwinnett

“I don’t look at being here as holding a grudge or anything. I see it as an opportunity to better myself and be a better teammate, be a better person, grow as a player. That’s how I approach it every day, have a good attitude about it and be positive about everything and know it’ll play out in the end.”

The Braves sent Waldrep to minor-league camp after one spring outing. It’s more conducive to his development to be on a steady routine. It’s challenging to be on the up-and-down experience that players like Bryce Elder have undergone. And it’s not like Waldrep’s performance thus far has warranted call-up consideration anyway.

So he’ll continue to hone his craft in the minors, without knowing when his next major-league appearance could come. Odds are, he’ll find his way to Truist Park later this season.

“It’s how baseball works,” Waldrep said. “No matter who’s up there, injuries happen. Things happen. The way the game works, things are going to happen. Moves are going to be made. It’s not really paying attention to that kind of stuff. It’s just knowing that whenever that opportunity arises, that we are the first name to be called, that we’ve put ourselves in position to go up and play and perform.”

Waldrep, 23, simply didn’t look ready in his two major-league appearances a year ago (13 runs allowed in seven innings). He also was stalled by injury. His start this season in Gwinnett has been troubling, though it’s early. He’s trying to find consistent command. He’s reemphasized his curveball, which he hopes will pay dividends moving forward. He acknowledges that the familiarity has added comfort and he’s feeling more settled, even if the numbers haven’t come.

“They told me they wanted me to stay down here and get the innings in, get the experience,” he said. “I know what I have to do. I know what needs to be done. It’s pretty cut and dry. It’s not something that that’s drastic for me. It’s pretty simple.

“It’s consistency start to start. Having similar — if not the exact same — stuff in every start. That’s not really a pitch-repertoire thing, it’s just on me mentally to have the same approach every start, every pitch. Every start plays off the other one.”

Ultimately, as he referenced, Waldrep needs to increase his workload. Patience is sometimes lost in today’s game, particularly with so many youngsters excelling early in their careers. But there are many more who require more time. Waldrep has pitched in only 145⅓ minor-league innings since appearing in the College World Series.

Yes, there’s a chance Waldrep ends up becoming a reliever. There’s the possibility he doesn’t live up to his first-round billing. But this isn’t the time to make such declarations.

“This game is very humbling,” he said. “I was never thinking I was entitled to anything in this game. Everyone plays the same game of baseball, whether you were drafted in the first round or (were) a free agent. For me, I know I still have to compete, and I still have to do everything they need me to do to perform at that level. That’s how I’ve always been and will always be.

“Just know the game is the game no matter where you stand in it. It can humble you really fast. It can put you in a bad spot really fast. But it can also reward you for the work you put in.”