Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwn was unexpectedly thrust into the starting job last year. But he handled it like a champ. Atlanta's young backstop produced a .274/.341/.469 slash line, with 18 doubles, 19 homers, 80 RBI, and a 125 wRC+.
Baldwin crushed the ball and excelled in many analytical categories, such as hard hit percentage (49.6), bat speed (75.3 mph), whiff percentage (19.5), barrel percentage (11.0), and strikeout percentage (15.2). He also did a good job behind the dish, blocking pitches with a 7 in blocks above average. However, there's room to improve with his pop time, framing, and ability to throw out baserunners.
Fans are hopeful they will see their catcher have an incredible sophomore season. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year has picked up right where he left off for the Braves this spring.
Drake Baldwin's strong spring start proves he is going to be a problem for opponents in 2026
Baldwin started his first spring game on Sunday against the Twins. He batted second in the order, which may become his normal spot in the lineup, according to manager Walt Weiss.
In the third inning, he crushed a hanging curveball for a solo home run to right-center field, to give Atlanta the lead. It was an extremely loud hit, showing just how hard he hits the ball.
The reigning Rookie of the Year has left the building 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8fnEM6tQ9G
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 22, 2026
Baldwin finished the day 2-for-2 with one home run. He was replaced by Sandy Leon, who many expect to be the backup on Opening Day, in the fifth inning. If Baldwin continues on the path he was on last season, while adding more power to his swing, the league is in serious trouble. He is not an easy out for opposing pitchers, as he has incredible plate coverage.
Baseball Reference has Baldwin projected to slash .272/.340/.463 in 2026, with 18 doubles, 17 homers, 68 RBI, and an .804 OPS. That's a fairly comparable season to 2025, but there's a chance Baldwin blows those projections out of the water with another year under his belt. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch Baldwin and the Braves this season. Fans won't want to miss out on seeing him play.