After a third straight early postseason exit, the focus has shifted to the offseason for the Atlanta Braves. During their season-ending press conference, Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos and manager Brian Snitker shared some notable comments, as highlighted by Demetrius Bell of Battery Power. One topic of interest was their perspective on Drake Baldwin.
While there’s a lot of excitement around the Braves’ minor league pitchers, the article’s author expressed skepticism, noting that most of them haven’t performed well for the Braves. However, Baldwin stands out as a prospect of interest, mainly due to his potential trade value. Despite this, Baldwin remains low on the Braves’ depth chart.
Anthopoulos mentioned that Baldwin’s advancement to Double-A puts him within reach of a call-up, stating, “The way he’s played, he’s definitely a phone call away at this point. We’ve pulled guys up from Mississippi before.”
He also spoke highly of Travis d’Arnaud and Sean Murphy, saying, “We have two guys at the major league level that we’re really fond of… There’s just so much thrown at these guys with the game planning, the game calling, and everything else beyond your offensive responsibilities.”
While Baldwin’s left-handed batting is a strength, Chadwick Tromp is also competing in Triple-A. Anthopoulos remarked, “I think [Baldwin] is one of the best prospects in the organization… He put up close to .900 OPS in Gwinnett as a left-hander, and his makeup is off the charts.” Despite this, Tromp’s performance last season has secured his spot on the roster.
Anthopoulos acknowledged the likelihood of Baldwin spending next season in Gwinnett but emphasized the importance of catching depth, saying that the team must be prepared to call up a player quickly if needed. He added, “Between Tromp and [Baldwin], we feel good. I think we all learned [from past challenges] and I don’t want to go through that again.”
While it’s unclear whether the Braves will trade Baldwin, his time to make an MLB impact might be near. Given the team’s desire to address its roster needs, Baldwin could be a valuable asset in potential trades.
Anthopoulos and Snitker are expected to make some significant changes this offseason. With three consecutive early playoff exits since their World Series win, it’s clear that simply repeating the same strategy won’t be enough. The Braves will likely use their financial resources to either sign a new starting pitcher or retain Max Fried, enhance the bullpen, and possibly make a trade to strengthen the shortstop position or address the crowded outfield.
If the Braves are unable to trade underperforming pitchers like AJ Smith-Shawver or Hurston Waldrep for an immediate star, they might consider putting Baldwin on the market. Given the uncertainties around Murphy’s performance and d’Arnaud’s aging, Baldwin might end up making his MLB debut with another team.
For more updates, you can follow MLB Insider Robert Murray’s insights on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to the weekly MLB newsletter, The Moonshot, and join the community on Discord for inside information during the MLB offseason.
