This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it frequently in your inbox.
ATLANTA — Sean Murphy broke a rib in order that the Braves might prosper for a few years to come back.
Would Baldwin have been on Atlanta’s Opening Day roster?
Perhaps. The Braves hadn’t dominated out the potential for Baldwin beginning the yr within the Majors, even in a backup function.
However there’s little doubt Murphy lacking the season’s first 9 video games improved the likelihood of Baldwin successful the award. If nothing else, the quick absence put the Braves in place to be compensated fairly properly as soon as Baldwin turned the tenth participant in franchise historical past to be named Rookie of the 12 months.
Courtesy of the Prospect Promotion Incentive, which was applied with the 2022 Collective Bargaining Settlement, Baldwin successful this honor netted the Braves a compensation decide after the primary spherical of the 2026 MLB Draft. Together with this comes what’s going to possible be just a little greater than $3 million in bonus pool cash. This may very well be used to help the signing of any participant Atlanta takes inside the first 10 rounds subsequent summer time.
Golf equipment earn a Draft decide after the primary spherical if a PPI-eligible participant accrues one yr of service as a rookie after which both wins his league’s Rookie of the 12 months award or locations within the prime three in MVP or Cy Younger voting previous to qualifying for arbitration.
One yr of service requires 172 days on an energetic roster. So gamers with little or no MLB service time should be referred to as up inside the first two weeks of Opening Day.
Would Baldwin have met this qualification had he not began the season with Atlanta? Most likely not, however at the very least debatable.
Talking of debates, the Braves would lose this compensation Draft decide in the event that they have been to signal any of those 13 gamers who obtained a qualifying supply: DH Kyle Schwarber, OF Kyle Tucker, SP Ranger Suárez, SP Framber Valdez, INF Bo Bichette, SP Dylan Stop, OF Trent Grisham, 2B Gleyber Torres, RP Edwin Díaz, SP Brandon Woodruff, SP Zac Gallen, SP Shota Imanaga, SP Michael King.
There may be probably vital long-term worth with each the compensation decide and the accompanying bonus pool cash. The extra funds might present worth with the choice of a number of gamers.
On the similar time, there may very well be speedy and long-term worth gained by signing an impression free agent who was given a qualifying supply. In different phrases, if the Braves have an opportunity to land Stop, then it’s price debating whether or not it’s price doing so on the expense of the Draft decide and bonus pool cash.
The identical wouldn’t essentially go for Gallen. I beforehand wrote it is likely to be price taking an opportunity on Gallen bouncing again subsequent yr. However as soon as he obtained the qualifying supply, the entire value turned too vital. He possible wouldn’t deliver the numerous long-term worth wanted to justify shedding the compensation decide.
