As soon as Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy got hurt, it was abundantly clear that top prospect Drake Baldwin was going to get every opportunity to get the starting catching job. While he was going to have to show that he was ready, Baldwin camp into spring training with purpose and has hit .333 with an .844 OPS in 13 games this spring.
Slowly, the Braves trimmed their roster over the last couple of weeks and Baldwin remained in big league camp. With the word on Monday that Atlanta had cut Curt Casali and Sandy Leon, it was all but assured that Baldwin would be breaking camp with the Braves.
However, the question now becomes what to do at backup catcher. While incumbent Chadwick Tromp was a strong possibility, the Braves decided to look outside the organization for some veteran help as they agreed to terms with James McCann on a minor league deal.
Source: Free-agent catcher James McCann and the Atlanta Braves are in agreement on a minor-league contract.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) March 18, 2025
Braves sign catcher James McCann to minor league deal
On the surface, this move seems bad for those that were rooting for Baldwin to get an opportunity to be the primary catcher. However, Atlanta knows that Baldwin is going to be light on experience and bringing in a veteran catcher who knows how to manage a pitching staff and has shown something at the plate over the last couple of years has a lot of value when your team is leaning on a young catcher to start a season. McCann also hasn't had a spring training yet, so this isn't a situation where he is going to immediately swoop in and steal playing time right away.
Moreover, this move makes sense when you think about the world after Murphy returns from the IL. Unless Baldwin is on the heater to end all heaters for the first few weeks of the season, Murphy is going to get the chance to be the primary catcher again and Baldwin will get sent back down to the minors to get regular playing time.
Bringing McCann in now not only helps give Atlanta some insurance in the event that Baldwin falters, but also protects against any issues with Murphy as well and could allow the Braves to limit his playing time a bit upon his return. This deal also being of the minor league variety is basically a no-risk deal for Atlanta as they will get to see how McCann looks in the minors before committing to any plan beyond that.
When the Braves were first linked to the free agent catching market, some thought that it was a reflection of the belief that Baldwin may not be ready for the big leagues. However, this move (especially since it is a minor league deal for McCann) feels more like the playoff contending Braves taking out a bit of an insurance policy with Murphy on the shelf and Baldwin getting his first look at the big leagues.