Charlie Morton Helps Shape Hurston Waldrep’s Rise With Braves

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00:00Charlie Morton helps shape Hurston Waldrop's rise with Braves.

00:04When the Braves claimed Charlie Morton off waivers on September 1st,

00:08it marked more than a roster move for Hurston Waldrop.

00:11It reunited him with a mentor.

00:14Waldrop still recalls a 2024 spring day when Morton spent half an hour coaching him after live BP,

00:21offering advice on sequencing, preparation, and mindset.

00:25That guidance became a cornerstone of Waldrop's breakthrough season.

00:29Morton's journey is one young pitchers can learn from.

00:32Drafted by Atlanta in 2002, he bounced around before reinventing himself with Houston and Tampa Bay,

00:38winning Game 7 of the 2017 World Series,

00:42and later cementing his Braves legacy by pitching through a broken fibula in the 2021 Fall Classic.

00:49Over 17 seasons, he tallied 2,200-plus strikeouts, three 200-plus strikeout years, a 52.7 war,

00:57and a strong postseason record.

01:00For Waldrop, a lifelong Braves fan, that resume made Morton's mentorship even more impactful.

01:07Waldrop has already shown promise since debuting in 2024,

01:10cementing a spot in Atlanta's 2026 rotation with a strong sophomore year.

01:15Featuring an electric splitter, rated by Fangraphs among the best of the 2025 rookie class with a whiff rate over 40%,

01:23he projects as a long-term core piece alongside Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach.

01:29His main hurdle is refining command, a focus of Morton's guidance.

01:34As Morton readies for his final appearance,

01:36Waldrop emerges as the clear heir to that mentorship and a key to Atlanta's rotation future.

01:42The Braves' 2026 rotation mixes veterans and youth, Chris Sale and Strider at the top,

01:47with Schwellenbach, Waldrop, and a resurgent Bryce Elder rounding it out.

01:52Morton retires at 41, but his impact endures.

01:56Like Freddie Freeman once did for hitters,

01:58Morton's mentorship has prepared Atlanta's next wave of pitchers to pair talent with readiness.

02:04Morton's 2025 stats, a 6.09 ERA across three teams, won't define his legacy.

02:11Braves' country will remember his resilience, late career mastery, post-season heroics,

02:17and mentorship of pitchers like Waldrop.

02:20As Waldrop steps into Atlanta's rotation,

02:22Morton's guidance bridges the closing era with the next,

02:25proving impact isn't measured only in box scores.