The Braves had high expectations for Drake Baldwin when he reported to North Port, Florida, in February for the start of the club’s spring training.
But few foresaw the blazing start he would have to his MLB career.
And the rookie catcher added to his accolades Monday night in the Braves’ series-opening win over the Giants. Baldwin went 3-for-5 and finished with six RBIs, the most by a Braves’ rookie since Kelly Johnson recorded six in June 2005.
(He fell one RBI short of tying the franchise’s single-game rookie RBI record, which Wes Helms set in August 2001 with seven.)
“He’s above his level of experience,” manager Brian Snitker said. “The makeup and the baseball awareness and feel that he has is going to benefit him for a long, long time.”
Baldwin made the Braves’ opening-day roster as a replacement for Sean Murphy while he recovered from a cracked rib cage. But the 24-year-old immediately forced his way into the club’s lineup with productive at-bats.
Baldwin’s three hits Monday night improved his season batting average to .290 — trailing only Ronald Acuña Jr. on the Braves — with a .358 on-base percentage and a .846 OPS.
His batting average ranks fifth among MLB rookies who played at least 50 games, while his OPS is the second highest among the group.
“I don’t want to say expected, because that’s unfair, but that’s what he does,” said starting pitcher Bryce Elder, who spent time with Baldwin at Triple-A Gwinnett. “The biggest deal is he pays attention. He listens when he’s not catching, like tonight. And then at the plate, he can just hit. He’s really good, and it’s going to be fun to watch for a long time.”
Baldwin’s at-bats were so impressive through his first 69 MLB games that Snitker benched veteran Marcell Ozuna from the primary designated hitter role to give him and Murphy more opportunities.
The backstop duo is batting .265 this season with a .375 average over their last seven games. They’ve also hit 27 combined home runs, which ranks first among catching pairs in the National League and second in all of baseball.
And those numbers are expected to increase with the duo now receiving consistent at-bats.
“You get more comfortable,” Baldwin said of playing almost every day. “You see the ball more. You don’t have to readjust when you get back in the game or are playing every other day. I think any baseball player will say that. The more at-bats you get, the more comfortable you get in the box for that stretch of time. (And) it’s awesome to watch Murph go and rake as well.”
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Baldwin’s stellar start is that this season marks his first in MLB. The Braves selected the 24-year-old out of Missouri State in the third round of the 2022 draft, and he did not make his Triple-A debut until the end of the 2023 season.
But one would never know Baldwin’s lack of experience from the way he’s taking MLB by storm.
“Kid can just hit,” Elder said. “Good to be around, so he deserves every bit of it.”
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