After getting hit in the ribs by a 95 mile per hour fastball and getting his rib cracked, Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy is now set to miss four to six weeks, and that timeline means Murphy will miss the beginning of the regular season.
Now, you would think backup catcher Chadwick Tromp would become the Braves’ everyday catcher, and one of Atlanta’s top prospects Drake Baldwin will fill Tromp’s backup role until Murphy is ready to return. However, earlier today The Morning Shift crew explained why Baldwin needs to be the starter and Tromp remains in his backup role.
“I think Chadwick Tromp either way is your backup catcher. I think that Drake Baldwin has got to move into the 1A spot…” Mike Johnson said
Mike believes Baldwin needs to be the Braves’ everyday catcher to ensure that he’s getting the amount of playing time he needs to continue his development.
“When you have a catcher developing in Triple-A and Double-A the way he was last year and you’re hitting .298 at the Triple-A level I think you have to be careful if you’re not gonna let a guy play everyday that you have to put him in a situation where he can continue to develop. I think that’s really what you have to calculate as you move towards the opening day roster.” Johnson said
Bea Morgan agrees with Mike and believes there’s no reason that Baldwin shouldn’t be Atlanta’s everyday catcher while Sean Murphy recovers from a cracked rib
“There’s no reason to me why this move and the rest of spring training and depending on how long he [Sean Murphy] misses in the regular season that Drake Baldwin is not your starter and Chadwick Tromp does not stay in the exact same role.” Beau said
Beau thinks Drake’s offensive upside is the reason he should get the majority of the playing time at catcher while the one-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner in Murphy is out.
“He’s a guy that knows how to get on base, he’s a left handed guy with oppo power, so to me the future is today.” Beau said
The Braves young prospect is 23 years old and has no major league experience, but excelled with the Braves’ Triple A team, the Gwinnett Stripers, last season after being promoted up from Double-A midseason. He hit .298 in 275 at-bats with a .891 OPS, a .407 on-base percentage, and a .484 slugging percentage. In 72 games with the Stripers last year he hit 12 home runs and had 55 RBI. Drake also had almost as many walks (52) as strikeouts (54) in 334 plate appearances in Triple A.
When you combine Baldwin’s Double-A and Triple-A numbers from last year he led qualified Braves minor leaguers with a .423 slugging percentage, 16 home runs, 19 doubles, and a 119 wRC+. Drake has impressed at spring training this year as well with his catching skills and a smooth, powerful swing that repeatedly produces opposite-field line drives. A left-handed hitter, Baldwin hit a home run to left-center field in the Futures Game that was the hardest-hit ball in that game, displaying his considerable opposite-field power.
Baldwin, ranked 27th by The Athletic’s Keith Law in his preseason top 100 prospects list, has continued to draw rave reviews from pitchers this spring and has gone 4-for-12 with a double, two RBIs, three walks and no strikeouts in six Grapefruit League games, so if he continues to perform well in Grapefruit League play there’s a really good chance he’ll end up being the Braves’ Opening Day catcher, and he’ll finally have the chance to be an everyday catcher in The Show at least until Sean Murphy is ready to return.