Extending Drake Baldwin, Logical or Premature Move for Braves?

The Atlanta Braves are no strangers to locking down potential star players early in their careers. Next in line in the potential extension debate is none other than catcher Drake Baldwin.

He's followed up his Rookie of the Year Award-winning campaign with a rocketing start in 2026. As of Tuesday afternoon, Baldwin is batting .310 with a 1.070 OPS, and he is leading the National League in home runs (five), RBIs (13), runs scored (11) and total bases (30).

Right now, he's as affordable as he could get. According to Spotrac, he's making $760,000. That is the biggest bang the Braves could get for their buck. However, this is going to change in a hurry when arbitration enters the mix. He's pre-arbitration until the 2028 season.

It's a season that should fuel All-Star conversations, and it's going to fuel contract talks. It's inevitable. We're all thinking it. Might as well get that ball rolling. Let's see the case for why the Braves should get a move on and why it could make sense to wait.

As part of this discussion, I won't be making any final decision on which is the right call. Both sides will get a case, and you can make the decision for yourself.

Locking Down a Top Talent Early

The earlier the Braves get Baldwin inked to a deal, the cheaper he will be for the long-term. Multiple young talents are getting long-term deals as of late, wheter it be Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin or Mariners top prospect Colt Emerson.

While the deal is backloaded, players who haven't even made their debut yet can garner contracts worth $95 million. Griffin netted himself $140 million a few games into his career. How much is a reigning National League Rookie of the Year worth? Something for the Braves to consider.

By the time arbitration rolls around, Baldwin may have added more than that to the resume. If his fellow All-Star catcher Sean Murphy is making $15 million a year, he can certainly ask for more later on if he has more hardware.

On top of that, he's a good defensive catcher on top of the bat he brings to the table. Catchers who can do both are hard to come by.

Last season, Baldwin's .810 OPS was the fifth-best among catchers who played in at least 100 games. The catchers ahead of him were Cal Raleigh, Will Smith, Shea Langeliers and Hunter Goodman. He's right behind multiple All-Stars. He and Langeliers look like they could get the nod this season.

Even if he's currently seeing time as a designated hitter, he's arguably already one of the more well-rounded catchers in the league. The case is only building for a greater payday. It could be wise for the Braves to get a move on.

Repeating Similar Mistakes? Bigger Fish to Fry?

Let's run through some of the recent long-term deals that have been handed out by the Braves to rising players. Between Matt Olson, Sean Murphy, Spencer Strider, Austin Riley and Michael Harris II, that first one is the one that truly looks good at present.

Harris' deal isn't too bad right now, because he comes at a price tag of $9 million per season through 2030. However, they're probably feeling some remorse about what they're paying Murphy, the fellow catcher on the team. With the injuries he's had, that $15 million per year price tag is feeling steep.

The Braves may want to wait to see if it's worth throwing another contract on top of the pile, especially when there are a few years of control to see where he's at.

Then, there's the lockout. A salary could be coming, even if the players are vehemently opposed to it. With the uncertainty, the Braves may want to wait to see what the situation is after the fact.

While the debate over getting Baldwin locked down is warranted, they also have another elephant in the room to address: Ronald Acuña Jr. With the way salaries are rising, he's in for a big contract. Even with the injuries and pushing 30, it's going to be steep. If Baldwin were to be locked up before him, that could influence how much they can pay their biggest star.

The Braves have let other stars walk, including Freddie Freeman, Dansby Swanson and Max Fried. Addressing any factor that could cost them Acuña is a must.