When the All-Star Game takes place in Philadelphia next month, who starts behind the plate for the National League is one of the more intriguing questions. Atlanta Braves young phenom Drake Baldwin was the leader in the clubhouse until his unfortunate oblique injury in May.
However, despite missing the last month of action, Baldwin still carries a strong argument to get the start for the National League. The reason: Baldwin still leads all National League catchers in fWAR...by quite a wide margin.
Baldwin has played in 48 games so far this season, and his 2.2 fWAR leads the NL. The next-closest backstop to Baldwin is Liam Hicks of the Marlins, who has amassed 1.4 fWAR in 60 games. The numbers don't lie; Baldwin deserves to represent the National League in Philadelphia.
Drake Baldwin crushes a leadoff homer! pic.twitter.com/QK8vAwi1zd
— MLB (@MLB) May 16, 2026
Drake Baldwin deserves his first All-Star nod despite missing time recently
With All-Star voting officially open, it's easy to forget players who are currently on the injured list. Hopefully, with Baldwin, his numbers can propel him into the next phase of voting, where an eventual return could be the boost he needs.
Braves manager Walt Weiss detailed earlier this week how Baldwin could return during the next homestand, and if the reigning Rookie of the Year is hitting anything like he was at the beginning of the year, he will be the frontrunner to get the All-Star nod.
Before his injury, Baldwin belted 13 homers and was near the top of the league leaderboard in RBI. Baldwin's 160 wRC+ is the highest mark among NL catchers with at least 120 at-bats, with Ivan Herrera of the Cardinals ranking second with a 129 wRC+.
If you need evidence of Baldwin's value anymore, look at the dropoff in production from Atlanta's catchers since his injury. Since Baldwin hit the injured list on May 18, Braves catchers are slashing .106/.104/.128, have a very hard-to-do (in a bad way) -38 wRC+, and -0.6 fWAR.
No matter how you slice it, Baldwin's value is undeniable. Because his competition for starting catcher in the National League is a tad underwhelming at the moment, fans need to do what's right and vote Atlanta's young backstop to join what is hopefully many Braves at the All-Star game in Philadelphia.
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