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Drake Baldwin, the Atlanta Braves' catcher and reigning NL Rookie of the Year, may soon negotiate a historic contract extension. While discussions haven't begun, his performance could reset the market for catchers.
The Atlanta Braves struck gold in the 2022 MLB Draft with the selection of catcher Drake Baldwin with the 96th overall pick. As he emerges as an All-Star and one of the new faces of the franchise, a historic contract extension could be next for the reigning NL Rookie of the Year.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that while the Braves havenāt started to āseriously engageā with Baldwin to discuss a possible contract extension, an eventual deal could reset the market at catchers.
Baldwin, 25, is proving that his breakout season last year was no fluke. Atlantaās emerging All-Star has raised his walk rate (8.5% to 9.6%) and his isolated power (.195 to .218) thus far. Heās clearly one of the best catchers in baseball, and his offensive production has been critical for a club that has also dealt with early struggles from Austin Riley and Ronald AcuƱa Jr.
Cal Raleigh is currently the highest-paid catcher in MLB at a $17.5 million average annual value. Notably, Raleigh and Los Angeles Dodgers star Will Smith are the only catchers signed to contracts worth $100 million or more. Realistically, Baldwin would reach that territory if he signed a long-term deal.
In the 2026 MLB season, Drake Baldwin has recorded 9 home runs, 30 RBI, and a .313 batting average with a .922 triple-slash line in 147 at-bats.
Drake Baldwin's potential contract extension could reset the market for catchers, setting new benchmarks for future deals in the position.
The Atlanta Braves selected Drake Baldwin in the 2022 MLB Draft with the 96th overall pick.
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Thereās certainly no reason for Atlanta to rush into negotiations with Murphy. Heās not even arbitration-eligible for the first time until after the 2027 MLB season. Thereās still additional team control after that, so he wonāt be eligible for MLB free agency until 2030.
Rosenthal went on to explain why the record for the highest AAV ever for a catcher, $23.1 million, is a figure Baldwin could surpass with his next deal. If thatās the case, Atlanta could be looking at a contract extension of five-plus years worth in the neighborhood of $120 million total.
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