For the majority of most Atlanta Braves fans' lives, good catching has usually been part of the team's winning formula. The Braves have gotten great production from the catching duo of Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin in 2025 at a much greater scale relative to the rest of the league. Rookie Drake Baldwin is the latest young Braves' catcher to flourish when he got his chance.
Baldwin's strong play should have him firmly in the lead for the National League Rookie of the Year award. He excels at so many things on the baseball field, and the veterans on the team and coaching staff notice how special a season Baldwin is having in his first chance to face Major League pitching.
The praise for Baldwin reached very high levels after his two homer game against the Marlins on Thursday night. During the postgame press conference, manager Brian Snitker dropped a lofty comparison for Baldwin that had many fans nodding along in agreement...Braves legend, Brian McCann.
Snitker compares Braves rookie phenom to legendary catcher Brian McCann
When you hear comparisons to one of the best catcher's in franchise history you immediately wince at such a high assessment. However, the numbers back up Snitker's claim and everything you see from Baldwin gives you confidence he more than belongs in the conversation.
Brian McCann's rookie season saw him play 59 games in 2005 and slash .278/.345/.400 with a 93 wRC+. This season Baldwin has played 84 games and owns a .284/.354/.479 slash line with an incredible 134 wRC+.
Sadly, Baldwin won't get the chance to homer in the postseason against a multi-time Cy Young winner during his rookie campaign. Regardless, Baldwin has gotten off to a roaring start to his Major League career. McCann's 2006 season saw him post a career high 142 wRC+ so hopefully Baldwin's 2026 can follow suit.
In an otherwise miserable 2025 season for the Braves, Baldwin has been one of the very few bright spots for the team. Comparing him to McCann may seem like high praise, but it isn't completely unwarranted. Let's hope Baldwin's career continues the McCann trajectory, and the great catcher production leads back to more winning baseball for Atlanta in 2026.
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