Travis d'Arnaud's departure may not open door for top Braves prospect that fans think

It is fair to say that the Atlanta Braves deciding to part ways with Travis d'Arnaud caught a lot of people off guard. While deciding to move on from a soon-to-be 36-year-old catcher isn't uniquely weird in a vacuum, d'Arnaud was a very productive player behind the plate for five seasons and by all accounts, has been a leader in the Braves' clubhouse.

However, Atlanta clearly felt as though the $8 million due to d'Arnaud next season could be better used elsewhere, and d'Arnaud ultimately signed a two-year deal with the Angels. The finality of that decision has led some Braves fans to believe that promoting top prospect Drake Baldwin in 2025 to fill the void is the next logical step.

This isn't a completely crazy notion. Atlanta will certainly need another catcher to replace TdA and Baldwin just posted a .793 OPS down in the minors in 2024 while impressing a wide range of scouts and experts. Replacing a cornerstone like d'Arnaud with a potential future cornerstone catcher makes sense, right?

Well, the truth is actually a bit more complicated and potentially upsetting than that.

Drake Baldwin is more likely to be a Braves trade chip than their primary catcher in 2025

The problem with the Drake Baldwin plan is that it conveniently ignores a face that the Braves already have for the foreseeable future. Sean Murphy clearly had a down year in 2024 and has dealt with injuries the last two seasons, but a lot of Braves fans seem to be forgetting that he was one of the best catchers on both sides of the ball before his recent swoon over the last season and a half.

Could the Braves also move on from Murphy as a sunk cost and completely reset the catching position, starting with promoting Baldwin? Sure, it is possible, but it feels extremely unlikely, given Murphy's previous track record, the amount of money Atlanta owes him, and Baldwin's lack of experience in the big leagues.

The Braves have prioritized catching like a few teams in recent years and value high-level experience at the position. While Murphy has earned fans' ire with his play so far, the reality is that it is far more likely that Atlanta will give him at least one more year as their primary catcher after focusing on getting him completely healthy this offseason. Hamstring and oblique injuries like those suffered by Murphy can linger for a long time, so having some patience with him makes a ton of sense.

As for Baldwin and the Braves' other catching spot, that is where things get even dicier. Would the Braves really promote one of their most valuable prospects to catch a couple of times a week and take needed reps away from him that he could get either in the minor leagues or as the primary guy on another team? Color me skeptical.

If the Braves truly believe that Murphy is washed, then maybe promoting Baldwin makes sense from a financial and roster-building perspective. However, the more likely scenario currently feels like the Braves could instead sign a backup catcher for less than d'Arnaud was slated to get, give Murphy another chance to solidify his spot, and then use Baldwin instead as a high-profile trade chip. Again, Baldwin is a great prospect and shouldn't just be given away, but including him as a centerpiece of a trade for a significant upgrade elsewhere has more value than handing a rookie catcher the keys to the kingdom on a perennial contender that already has a catcher under contract.

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