The 2025 Atlanta Braves season has basically come to a close. It's time to start looking forward to plans for the offseason, if for no other reason being that that is the best way to try and forget this season ever happened. We know for the most part what the core of the team will look like in 2026. However, there are a few question marks that the team could extend to solidify for the next few years.
The biggest roster needs for the Braves at the moment are shortstop, the rotation, and the bullpen. A couple of these positions have candidates for extensions. Let's take a look at which players have the best chance at getting a contract extension.
Here are the Atlanta Braves most deserving of contract extensions ahead of the 2026 season
Ha-Seong Kim
This is probably the highest priority of the offseason for the Braves. There aren't any internal options to solve shortstop. Kim has been performing really well and could choose to decline his $16 million player option.
Atlanta would be wise to go ahead and give Kim a contract extension and lock him up for the next three or four years. A deal with an AAV of $20 million would likely be enough to get the job done. This would also allow time for Atlanta's recent shortstop draft picks to be ready to take over at the end of his contract.
Drake Baldwin
Baldwin is one of the favorites to win NL Rookie of the Year despite a slight slump at the end of the season. What he's done this season is absolutely remarkable. It feels like he fits the mold of the type of young player the Braves like to sign to an early contract extension to buy out their arbitration years.
Sean Murphy's contract runs through 2028 with a club option for 2029. So, that could throw a wrench in those plans a bit if Atlanta doesn't want to commit so many long-term resources at catcher. However, it feels like Baldwin is the catcher of the Braves' future. Murphy could always be moved in a trade or relegated to a DH role to ensure the youngster keeps a roster spot for many years to come.
Tyler Kinley
With Atlanta's need for good bullpen arms, Kinley could be a perfect arm to lock up. He had a rough time in Colorado, but has unlocked something since joining the Braves. He has a club option for 2026, so the team will likely pick that up and see how next season goes before giving him an extension.
There's a chance they could go ahead and give him another contract, especially with Raisel Iglesias hitting free agency. Atlanta doesn't have a clear option to close if Iglesias leaves. Kinley has shown a great ability in the late innings and would be much more affordable if the team believes he has a shot at closing.
Hurston Waldrep
Waldrep has really impressed after a rough first go of things in 2024. He's tweaked a few things, and it's led to some impressive outings. He's still very young and hasn't pitched an entire season yet. So, I don't think the team would extend him just yet.
He may require one full season of work before they decide he's worth extending, like they did with Spencer Strider a couple of years ago. If Waldrep can demonstrate sustained success next year, it feels like he's a perfect option to secure for the future.