Braves prospect Drake Baldwin continues his rise with home run in Futures Game

“It’s been a good season, especially since I went to Triple-A and the success I had early on,” Baldwin told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution before the Futures game. “Obviously, it’s baseball, so there’s ups and downs. But you have to work hard to get there and keep going. I feel like I’m getting better at catching and hitting, just developing the way they want me to. It’s been a fun season so far.”

Defensively, Baldwin said he has benefited greatly from his time working with Braves catcher’s coach Sal Fasano and veterans Sean Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud in spring training. He has improved his ability to throw out runners over the past two years (he caught 18 runners while allowing 53 stolen bases in 46 games; he allowed 92 steals and caught 28 runners in 74 games last season).

Baldwin wants to continue to develop his arm strength (his scouting report describes his arm as average). He feels he’s made progress in the game management area, but that’s also an ongoing goal.

“I think I’ve improved tremendously as a receiver,” he said. “The coaches, from Sal Fasano on down to all the receivers coaches at the lower levels as well, are incredible. They all have the same ideas, the same general constructs and have different ways of saying it. A lot of them just clicked with me and it’s made me improve tremendously.”

“Sal says iron sharpens iron. So he wants Travis and Sean to help me as much as they can, and they’ve been incredible in spring training. They just give me little tips here and there, tell me how they feel, how they call pitches. In Triple-A right now, I talked to (veteran) Sandy Leon about how to call pitches. I’ve learned so much. It’s something you don’t know unless you can talk to people like that.”

Credits: AP

Credits: AP

But much of what makes Baldwin an increasingly interesting prospect is his offense. He showed increasing power at Missouri State that led to him being drafted 96th overall in 2022. In 2023, he had an .844 OPS across three minor league levels, hitting 16 homers and 26 doubles in 109 games.

Baldwin’s exit velocities are remarkable. He has 10 home runs in 76 games, and they rarely come cheap. In Triple-A, four of his five home runs have had exit velocities of 103 mph or higher. Two have topped 109 mph. He hits the ball at full speed and consistently makes contact with pitches in the zone (12.1% whiff rate with Gwinnett).

“I mean, I’ve always had that quality,” Baldwin said of his hitting prowess. “I get a little confidence when I see certain balls land and leave the field. I just trust my swing and what I’m doing.”

Baldwin showed that power Saturday as the designated hitter, hitting a ball 411 feet with a 107.3 mph exit velocity off Blue Jays prospect Fernando Perez. An example of the ferocity with which he has hit all season.

Baldwin and infielder Nacho Alvarez are arguably the top positional prospects on the Braves’ farm. Baldwin is currently ranked as their No. 7 prospect, according to Baseball America, but he’s shown the development that could eventually land him on a top-100 list.

The Braves have a reputation for developing young players, but that hasn’t really extended to catchers. William Contreras didn’t really blossom until he was traded to Milwaukee. Shea Langeliers showed promise but ended up being traded to Oakland in the Matt Olson deal. During their run of six straight division titles, the Braves have relied on experienced catchers.

“I’ve never been in any other organization, so I don’t know much about what’s going on anywhere else, but the Braves — I don’t see many franchises that would be better,” Baldwin said. “There’s just the camaraderie from top to bottom, the major league guys who are willing to talk to the minor league guys and help us out, and obviously they want us to get to the major league level and they’re not afraid to promote guys.”

“I notice it a little bit myself. I even got to Triple-A faster than I expected. It gives you a level of confidence because you know you’re within reach of that call. So you’re always working to be ready for that call.”

It would be understandable to view Baldwin as a replaceable player. The Braves have Sean Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud in the major leagues (with Chadwick Tromp as a veteran who can help them). Even though d’Arnaud is in the twilight of his career, Baldwin could be argued to be their most valuable asset in their quest for another title.

But the Braves have placed a premium on having a solid roster of catchers, dating back to the team’s 2018 National League East title with Tyler Flowers and Kurt Suzuki. The Braves acquired Murphy when many felt he wasn’t needed and then extended his contract. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has made a slew of big-money additions, but he might consider none more valuable than d’Arnaud.

Baldwin certainly has immense value going forward, whether it’s with the Braves or as an asset. There’s no clear path to the big leagues for Baldwin right now, but that doesn’t worry him. He knows that one way or another, a door will open.

“Especially early in my career, I try not to think about it,” Baldwin said. “I know Sal said (one year ago) they used seven or eight different catchers in the major leagues. I know catcher is a tough position. I wish them the best. I don’t want anything to happen, but obviously in baseball, things happen. So you have to be ready to hear that call.”

“Sal also says there’s enough room in the major leagues for all of us, and that’s the goal. His goal is to develop the best catchers possible, and whether it’s with the Braves or another team, he just wants to see us succeed.”

Baldwin is doing just that, and so far, he’s one of the best development stories the Braves have had in recent years. His performance in the Futures Game has allowed him to gain exposure to other organizations and fans who have yet to discover what the Braves have to offer.

“To know that I’m the one they picked from the organization is pretty special,” Baldwin said. “You start to see where the hard work leads and it starts to pay off. Obviously, the goal is to win the World Series with the Braves. But these are the steps that lead to that and it’s pretty cool to be chosen for that.”