Braves catcher Drake Baldwin making a strong case to start on opening day

NORTH PORT, Fla. — The prospects for catcher Drake Baldwin to start the season with the major-league club continue to look good.

Asked Wednesday at Braves spring camp if he could envision Baldwin, a Braves 2022 draftee who reached Triple-A Gwinnett last year, being the opening-day starter, Braves manager Brian Snitker replied, “Yeah, absolutely.”

With starting starter Sean Murphy out with a cracked rib, the other likely options would be Chadwick Tromp or a veteran such as Sandy León or Curt Casali, who were signed in the offseason to minor-league contracts. But the 23-year-old Baldwin has made an obvious impression thus far with his bat (he is 7-for-19 for .368) and how he has handled pitchers.

Said Snitker, “I think he’s going to be a quick study.”

Baldwin was scheduled to catch Wednesday’s game against the Orioles, but was scratched because of an allergic reaction.

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