Jonah Heim brings pedigree, versatility to Braves clubhouse
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Jonah Heim spent his offseason in the same manner he always has, training and preparing his body for the grind of a 162-game season. But it wasn’t until the day before pitchers and catchers reported to CoolToday Park in early February that Heim knew he would be playing that season for the Braves.
And signing a one-year deal with the club meant he wouldn’t step into a starting role in 2026, a role he had been accustomed to for much of the past four seasons with the Rangers.
“It’s different, but at the same time, we’re here to win games,” Heim told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week. “So whoever’s out there, that’s who it’s gonna be. I mean, when you got the reigning NL Rookie of the Year (Drake Baldwin) behind the dish, you got a pretty good chance to win games. Just being able to be here and help any way I can is what I’m gonna do.”
Heim, 30, was a key member of the 2023 Rangers, the World Series champions who took four of five games from the Diamondbacks. Heim was in the lineup for all five of those games and had a home run in Game 4 of the series.
The past two seasons, however, saw Heim’s offensive production taper off, and the Rangers let Heim go through free agency at the end of the ’25 season. It wasn’t until February that he inked a one-year, $1.25 million deal with the Braves.
“Pedigree. Yeah, I like the pedigree,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said of Heim. “When you’re a guy that’s won a world championship, and you were one of their guys, and he was their front-line catcher, there’s a lot to be said about that. And I like that.
“So the fact he’s a switch-hitter just adds to our versatility. It allows you to do some things. He becomes a factor, especially against left-handed pitching. It’s nice to have a switch-hitting catcher that’s with that kind of pedigree.”
Heim was an All-Star in 2023. He had a .755 OPS in the regular season, drove in 95 runs and hit 18 homers. For his career, Heim has hit 49 of 68 home runs against right-handed pitchers while his batting average is 43 points higher against lefties.
The Braves will use Heim as a backup behind Baldwin. It’s also possible Heim starts behind the plate while Baldwin is penned in as a designated hitter, Heim buckles up the gear to give Baldwin a day off or Heim fills the DH role with Baldwin starting at catcher.
And when Sean Murphy, working his way back from hip surgery, is reactivated? The Braves could have a trio of catchers at their disposal, Heim included.
“I’m just here to help in any way I can, give (Baldwin) a few days off and try to go out there and perform,” Heim said. “I’m not gonna come in here and catch 140 games. I’m gonna come in here, gonna lean on (Baldwin), give him some days off here and there when I can and go from there.”
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