The Braves announced on March 21 that the team selected the contracts of three non-roster invites. One of those names was catcher Drake Baldwin, considered one of the best prospects in the Braves’ system. Baldwin quickly rose from Missouri State catcher to prized catching prospect and possibly, the Braves’ backstop of the future.
A Look at Baldwin
Atlanta picked Drake Baldwin in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft after a standout junior season. Baldwin had his freshman season cut short by the pandemic and posted a sub-.300 average in 2022. But in 2022, Baldwin hit .341/.448/.647 with 19 home runs, three of which came in the NCAA Tournament.
Baldwin steadily rose up the Braves’ Minor League system, as he posted a combined .844 OPS in 2023 before a strong run in Triple-A last season. With Gwinnett, Baldwin hit .298/.407/.484 (.891 OPS) with 12 home runs and 26 extra-base hits over 72 contests.
What might have been even more impressive was that Baldwin walked 52 times, compared to 54 strikeouts with the Stripers.
Baldwin possesses a swing with an open stance and has a bit of length in his motion. It wasn’t too much of a detriment, as posted a sub-20% Whiff% (18.1%) off fastballs in Triple-A, not too far off from his record Whiff% of 22.9% overall. That would be rated as above league-average if he can hold it at the MLB level.
He’s also got natural power and bat speed, nearly posting 20-home run campaigns in both 2023 and 2024.
Defensively, Baldwin showed good chops for the position down in the Minors. He’s got a quick arm that he showed off in the Arizona Fall League and career, had a 20.4% CS% in the Minors.
The Braves confirmed that Drake Baldwin and relievers Enyel De Los Santos and Hector Neris had their contracts selected and are now on the 40-man roster.
Analysis
Baldwin had a good shot of making it on the Opening Day roster, despite the load of veteran catchers Atlanta on its non-invite roster. For reference, Curt Casali, James McCann, and Sandy Leon — all catchers with MLB experience — either were or are still on the Braves’ roster as non-roster invites.
The reason why Baldwin had a good shot was that Sean Murphy will miss the start of the 2025 season thanks to a rib injury that, in early March, was said to likely keep him out for four to six weeks, putting him on track to come back sometime in April.
Baldwin, to his credit, was able to show enough to stave off Sandy Leon. The 23-year-old Baldwin hit .303/.425/.364 (.789 OPS) over 15 spring games.
Now, the battle will shift to whether Baldwin can stick on the MLB roster long-term.
The Braves didn’t bring back Travis d’Arnaud this past winter, leaving Murphy and Chadwick Tromp as the team’s two primary catchers. However, Murphy has not been impressive since the second half of 2023. The 2023 All-Star hit just .159/.310/.275 (.585 OPS) after the break, then posted a .636 OPS over 264 plate appearances last season.
Murphy missed several months last season with an oblique injury,
Fantasy Impact
Baldwin isn’t a bad option in mixed leagues, especially non-5×5 ones that count walks and/or OPS. The 23-year-old could benefit not just from his selective approach but also from the fact he’ll have good protection around him in that lineup.
However, Baldwin will likely slot in the back half of the Braves lineup, meaning his RBI opportunities could be muted.
It’s the second straight day in which the Braves made a notable move. On March 20, Atlanta signed ex-Yankee Alex Verdugo to a one-year deal.