The Atlanta Braves aren't thought to possess a farm system rich with talent. It's a pitching heavy prospect crop for the Braves, but one position player has risen to the top in the organization. Drake Baldwin is currently listed as the team's number five prospect and doesn't crack the top 100 on MLB Pipeline's list.
Some recent batted ball data that came to light recently seems to suggest Baldwin is still heavily slept on as a prospect. With a Triple-A best .406 xwOBA and 92.8 average exit velocity, Baldwin profiles like the type of hard-hitting bat the Braves have attempted to build their entire roster around.
Drake Baldwin, #1 Catching Prospect? pic.twitter.com/d8uUw7WPk9
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) December 18, 2024
The added bonus is that Baldwin is already excellent in terms of plate discipline too. It's what allowed Baldwin to slash .298/.407/.484 with 12 home runs in 72 games with Gwinnett last season. Baldwin kept it going in the AFL this year, and now enters 2025 with a ton of hype around his name.
Braves' Drake Baldwin should and probably will be a top prospect very soon
When you compare his profile to the 39th ranked prospect in baseball (Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing) Baldwin comes out favorably. Despite that his ranking amongst baseball's top 100 is nonexistent as of now.
However, once that list is updated before the start of the 2025 season, Baldwin will likely find himself in the top 100..or at least he should. Because he is a catching prospect, ranking him amongst baseball's best young gems is difficult given how much more a catcher has to do on the diamond. It's a bit harder for scouts to know how Baldwin handles a pitching staff and calls a game on a nightly basis against big league competition. On top of that, Baldwin really came on the national scene for the first time in 2024, so there's just not a ton of data to look at yet.
While the Braves continue to try and improve the major league roster other teams will certainly come calling about the 23 year-old Baldwin. Declining d'Arnaud's option makes you think the Braves will keep Baldwin around through at least 2025. However, if Murphy bounces back like the club thinks that he can then Atlanta will have to figure what to do with Baldwin because he's close to playing himself out of minor league competition.
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