The Atlanta Braves top prospect Drake Baldwin reacted to making the team’s 2025 Opening Day roster.
The tea leaves have been there all spring. But catching prospect Drake Baldwin is officially on the Atlanta Braves Opening Day roster.
The catcher told The AJC’s Justin Toscano that Braves bench coach Walt Weiss called Baldwin into manager Brian Snitker’s office on Friday morning to break him the news. Baldwin expressed that he couldn’t be happier.
“I mean, I think I had an idea — just because it was before the travel meeting, so I was like, ‘I feel like I wouldn’t have lasted this long if it wasn’t gonna happen,’” Baldwin told Toscano. “I don’t know, I just think I started smiling or something. I mean, it’s something you dream of your whole life, so it was pretty cool.”
Baldwin will be in the dugout for his first MLB game on March 27 against the San Diego Padres. The smart money is on Baldwin starting the game.
Toscano wrote Baldwin “will likely start that game and catch Chris Sale.”
Baldwin was in the lineup Thursday, catching Chris Sale’s final Spring Training start. Baldwin went 0-for-3. But overall, he has gone 10-for-36 (.278) with two doubles, three RBI, four runs and seven walks this spring.
Baldwin hit .298 with a .891 OPS in 72 games at Triple-A last season. The catcher also had 26 extra-base hits, including 12 home runs, 55 RBI and 40 runs in 334 plate appearances.
The Braves recently added catching depth to their organization with veteran James McCann. But Baldwin will probably receive the chance to start on Opening Day because Sean Murphy suffered a cracked rib in a Spring Training game on Feb. 28. Murphy is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
Atlanta would be stunting the development of the organization’s top prospect if it brought up Baldwin just for him to sit the bench. So, in all likelihood, he is going to have an every day role at least until Murphy returns.
If Baldwin starts the season well, then he could remain on the MLB roster.
With veteran Marcell Ozuna set to be Atlanta’s everyday designated hitter, it may be difficult to find Baldwin regular at-bats if Murphy is healthy. But it’s a problem the Braves would love to have because it means Baldwin will have started the 2025 season strongly.
Baldwin, though, sounds like he’s just taking it a day at a time, especially with his dream on the horizon of becoming true.
