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Atlanta Braves Opening Day countdown: 52, Walden

By Benjamin Chase

PHILADELPHIA - AUGUST 2: Relief pitcher Jordan Walden #52 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on August 2, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves won 6-4. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - AUGUST 2: Relief pitcher Jordan Walden #52 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on August 2, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves won 6-4. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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He may not have been the most popular trade acquisition, but our guy at #52 had an impressive, albeit short, run with the Atlanta Braves

One of the more popular young pitchers on the 2010s Atlanta Braves was traded away, and the player who was received in return struggled to get recognition for just how good he was while in a Braves uniform, but Jordan Walden had two very solid seasons in Atlanta.

In November of 2012, the Atlanta Braves were facing arbitration with Tommy Hanson for the first time, and after auto-renewing him his first few seasons, he was not looking to settle. His financial position and the emergence of Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy allowed the team to shop Hanson, eventually trading him that November to the Angels for reliever Jordan Walden.

Walden was originally drafted in the 12th round in 2006 as a draft-and-follow (when that was still a thing) out of high school in Texas by the Angels. He struggled to develop as a starter, moving to the bullpen and rocketing to the big leagues, making his debut in 2010.

In his first full season in the majors, Walden took over as the Angels closer, making the All-Star team and saving 32 games. However, after one blown save in April 2012, he lost the closer job and never recovered the job.

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Interestingly, Walden would advance his jersey number with every professional stop he made, starting his career in jersey #51, then moving to #52 with the Braves, and finally finishing his career in #53, but we aren’t quite to that yet.

Walden was an integral part of the Braves bullpen over the 2013 and 2014 season, with 108 games, 97 innings, a 3.15 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 41/116 BB/K ratio. He worked as a middle reliever, though he did pick up 4 saves.

After the 2014 season, Walden was traded along with Jason Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals for Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins.

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Walden’s tie to Hanson was coincidental in their post-Atlanta Braves career similarity. Walden was successful in 2015 with the Cardinals but pitched just 12 games before injuries ended his year. He’d never make it back to the majors. Hanson had one season with the Angels before an injury caused him to not return to the majors as well.

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