Drake Baldwin Named Braves Minor League Player of Year

The Atlanta Braves have another rising star to get excited about, and this time it’s in the form of their top catching prospect, Drake Baldwin. Recently named the Braves’ Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America, Baldwin’s rise through the ranks has been nothing short of impressive, especially for someone drafted just two years ago in 2022. Let’s dive into why this young catcher is generating so much buzz and why Braves fans should be keeping a close eye on him.

In 124 minor league games split between Double-A and Triple-A, Baldwin posted a solid .276 batting average with an OPS of .793, 16 home runs, and 88 RBIs. Those numbers are solid on their own, what’s really eye-catching is how he performed once he made the leap to Triple-A.

Over 72 games at that level, Baldwin’s bat came alive. He hit .298 with an impressive .891 OPS, launching 12 home runs and driving in 55 RBIs. He also boasting a .407 OBP while maintaining a solid strikeout rate of just 16.2%. Baldwin’s keen eye at the plate led to nearly as many walks (52) as strikeouts (54)—a level of plate discipline not always common among younger players.

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What makes Baldwin even more valuable is that he’s not just a bat-first prospect. His defensive skills are more than respectable, especially at a premium position like catcher. Baseball Savant grades his arm and fielding at 50 on the traditional 20-to-80 scale, indicating he’s already above average in these crucial areas.

He’s also praised for his receiving skills and his ability to work well with pitchers, which bodes well for his future at the Major League level. Simply put, it’s rare to find a catcher who can both hit and field at such a high level, and that makes Baldwin a coveted asset.

With his continued success, there’s a strong chance Baldwin will make his big-league debut sometime next season. If he can carry his Triple-A form into spring training, he could very well break camp with the Braves in 2024. Considering the Braves’ knack for developing young talent, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Baldwin catching at Truist Park sooner rather than later.

Drafted in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Drake Baldwin has quickly outperformed expectations, even surpassing some of his higher-drafted counterparts from the same class. Notably, first-rounder Owen Murphy and second-rounder J.R. Ritchie now rank just behind Baldwin as the sixth and seventh top prospects in the Braves’ system. Baldwin, however, has surged to the Braves’ fifth-ranked prospect and is considered the second-best position player in their farm system, trailing only shortstop Nacho Alvarez.

Given his rapid rise and well-rounded skill set, it’s no wonder Drake Baldwin was chosen to represent the Braves in the 2024 All-Star Futures Game. With his combination of offensive production and defensive reliability, Baldwin is quickly becoming a player to watch. Catchers who can make an impact on both sides of the ball are a rare breed, and the Braves seem to have found one in Drake Baldwin.