Braves’ Drake Baldwin named finalist for National League Rookie of the Year

Braves catcher Drake Baldwin was named a finalist for National League Rookie of the Year on Monday evening.

Baldwin, 24, was phenomenal in his debut campaign, hitting .274 with an .810 OPS over 124 games. He was lauded for his work with the pitching staff and also showed steady improvement defensively.

Baldwin is a finalist alongside Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin and Cubs pitcher Cade Horton. The winner will be announced Nov. 10.

While the 2025 Braves season was disappointing, Baldwin was routinely a bright spot. He was thrust into an immediate role after veteran Sean Murphy was injured in spring training. Baldwin proved worthy of staying in the majors and became an integral part of a lineup that desperately needed his production. Baldwin had 19 homers, 18 doubles and 80 RBIs.

The Wisconsin native carried himself with noted maturity and benefited greatly from Murphy and beloved Braves coach Eddie Perez, a former catcher himself whose tutelage was invaluable for Baldwin. Manager Brian Snitker and teammates often applauded his defensive growth throughout the campaign.

Baldwin cemented himself as a franchise pillar moving forward. The Braves now have an opening at designated hitter — Marcell Ozuna is a free agent — and they could decide to alternate Baldwin and Murphy at the spot. There was speculation the team could move Murphy and let Baldwin handle primary catching duties, but the Braves have stressed how much they cherish having a strong catcher pairing.

Whatever the team decides regarding its roster construction, Baldwin will be an important element. He’s a fixture now. And next week, he might be the franchise’s latest Rookie of the Year winner.