NORTH PORT, Fla. – Drake Baldwin has no selection however to imagine he can be prepared if he begins the upcoming season because the Braves’ main catcher. However a fair larger reassurance could be discovered through the compliments 2024 Nationwide League Cy Younger Award winner Chris Sale and different veteran pitchers have made.
“He’s acquired an unbelievable work ethic,” Sale mentioned. “He’s acquired a fantastic routine and he’s round all the fitting guys. That’s what you need from a man who’s in place to take over an important place. He’s not afraid to ask questions and he’s doing all the fitting issues.”
Sale gave this complimentary evaluation after throwing 4 scoreless innings with Baldwin serving as his catcher in a 0-0 tie in opposition to the Twins on Tuesday at CoolToday Park. This was the primary time the achieved hurler had ever labored with the 23-year-old prospect, who ranks as MLB Pipeline’s No. 62 prospect and the Braves’ No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline.
“I believed he seemed nice again there,” Sale mentioned. “He by no means seemed overwhelmed and by no means seemed overmatched. He was on level actually. So, that was numerous enjoyable.”
These two might be paired once more three weeks from now, when the Braves open the common season in San Diego.
Sale is predicted to make his sixth profession Opening Day begin and first since 2019. As for Baldwin, he’ll spend the subsequent couple weeks trying to show he is able to make his MLB debut and function Atlanta’s main catcher whereas Sean Murphy is on the injured record.
“I feel the folks round me have put me in a great place,” Baldwin mentioned. “Clearly, I’ve by no means performed within the large leagues, however it’s nonetheless simply baseball video games and I can simply go on the market and I’ve nonetheless acquired to go on the market and do my factor. I feel I’d be snug studying all the pitchers, attempting to get a relationship with them if it does occur. I simply must be as prepared as I can for the second.”
There was numerous buzz surrounding Baldwin since Monday morning, when it was discovered Murphy shall be sidelined four-to-six weeks with a fractured left rib suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Friday. This timeline creates the chance the 2023 All-Star catcher may return to Atlanta’s lineup at any level inside the common season’s first three weeks.
“As for (lacking a pair weeks) being the worst-case situation, it’s not too unhealthy,” Murphy mentioned. “However I’ve by no means damaged a rib. We’ll see the way it feels.”
The Braves have the choice to fill Murphy’s void with both Sandy Leon or Curt Casali, a pair of veteran catchers who’re in camp as non-roster invitees. Each must cross via waivers earlier than being despatched again to the Minors. Each would even have the fitting to reject an task. So, it could not make sense to danger shedding catching depth, particularly with the expectation Murphy’s absence shall be brief time period.
Leon considerably aided Baldwin’s growth whereas the 2 have been at Triple-A Gwinnett final 12 months. There would seemingly be a fantastic profit to the 2 working collectively once more this 12 months, figuring out Baldwin may nonetheless find yourself spending a majority of the upcoming season within the Minors.
“He’s an keen child,” Murphy mentioned. “He appears to be like nice. He’s steadily enhancing.”
There has by no means been a lot purpose to fret about Baldwin’s offensive capabilities. When he was drafted out of Missouri State within the third spherical of the 2022 MLB Draft, there was some thought he would hit sufficient to not less than be a primary base or designated hitter choice. However his protection has steadily improved over the previous few years.
AJ Smith-Shawver, the Braves’ No. 3 prospect, mentioned Baldwin’s protection significantly improved after he made the leap to the Triple-A degree final 12 months. Veteran pitchers like Sale and Reynaldo López are amongst those that have taken discover of those enhancements.
“The best way he has been framing and receiving has been very spectacular,” López mentioned.
Baldwin is much from a completed product. He has room to enhance his throwing and it’ll take time for him to be taught each his pitching workers and opposing large league hitters. However he is perhaps only a few weeks from receiving on-the-job-training on the recreation’s highest degree.
“Everyone seems to be preventing for a job now,” Baldwin mentioned. “It’s all about competing and so they’ll select who they need on the Opening Day roster.”
