Braves Catcher Drake Baldwin Wins NL Rookie of the Year Award

The Atlanta Braves catcher became part of the team's storied history of award-winning rookies

The crazy rise of Drake Baldwin is capped off with the top rookie award | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Drake Baldwin's rookie campaign receives the ultimate finishing touch. The Atlanta Braves catcher has been named the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year.

Drake Baldwin is your 2025 National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year! pic.twitter.com/qojtcbSJYO

— MLB (@MLB) November 11, 2025

Baldwin received 21 of 30 possible first-place votes to win. Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton got the other nine and finished second, and Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin finished third.

The Braves also received an extra first-round pick and about $3.5 million added to their bonus pool in next summer's draft. Having young talent paid off.

He is the first Braves player to take home the award since Michael Harris II in 2022 and the 10th recipient overall in franchise history. Baldwin is also the first rookie catcher to win the award since Buster Posey in 2010.

This rise to the top that started with his appearance in the Futures Game last year has put him in some elite company early in his career.

Baldwin was also named the National League Outstanding Rookie when the Players Choice Award was announced. He was one of two Braves players to receive a Players Choice Award, the other being Ronald Acuña Jr. (comeback player). He's also a finalist for the All-MLB Team, alongside Acuña, Chris Sale and Matt Olson.

Along with the awards, he spent the entire season up in the Majors. In 124 games, he batted .274 with an .810 OPS, 19 home runs and 80 RBIs. Among qualified rookies, his batting average, OPS, home runs and slugging were all second in the National League. His RBIs led this category of players.

The rookie catcher got his chance to be in the Opening Day starting lineup when Sean Murphy went down early in Spring Training with a cracked rib. After platooning with the All-Star catcher for much of the season, Baldinw had to finish the season again as the starter after Murphy underwent season-ending surgery.

It was a situation in which he was put under intense pressure. Yet, he stayed poised and provided the team with clutch moments that lack at times through out the season. He had his share of walk-off hits in extra innings and go-ahead home runs on the road in the ninth inning.

He long solidified himself into the team's longterm plans. This award just epitomizes the efforts that made that happen.