Drake Baldwin is the National League Rookie of the Year
Drake Baldwin beat the Cubs’ Cade Horton and the Brewers’ Cale Durbin on the ballot.
He receiver of the Atlanta Braves, Drake Baldwin, won the prize Rookie of the Year Jackie Robinson of the National League in 2025The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) reported on Monday.
Baldwin, the first Rookie of the Year catcher since Buster Posey in 2010, beat pitcher Cade Horton of the Chicago Cubs and infielder Caleb Durbin of the Milwaukee Brewers on the ballot.
Baldwin, who earned a spot on the Braves roster during training camp, made his MLB debut on Opening Day of the season and closed the tournament batting .274 with an .810 OPS and leading National League rookies in RBIs (80). Additionally, he was second in home runs (19) and total bases (190), and third in extra-base hits (39).
Baldwin is the first catcher to make his MLB debut with the Braves on Opening Day since the franchise plays in Atlanta. He is the 10th member of the franchise to win Rookie of the Year and the first since outfielder Michael Harris II in 2022, tying him with the New York Yankees for second all time. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (18) have more Rookie of the Year winners.
Baldwin received 21 of the 30 first-place votes. Baldwin will receive $750,000 from a pre-arbitration bonus pool, and runner-up Horton will receive $500,000.
Baldwin was a third-round pick in the 2022 draft out of Missouri State University. He started on opening day for Atlanta and collected his first major league hit on March 29 against the San Diego Padres.
Baldwin had one of his biggest days of the season on July 21, driving in six runs in a 9-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants. He hit two home runs and finished with five RBIs in his first multi-home run game on August 7, in an 8-6 victory over the Miami Marlins.
Baldwin is the seventh catcher to earn the National League honor and the second for the Braves, joining Earl Williams in 1971.
The Manager of the Year for each league will be announced on Tuesday, followed by the Cy Young Award winners on Wednesday.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
