If you ask Atlanta Braves fans what happened to their beloved team in 2024, they will likely respond with one word: injuries. Catcher Sean Murphy missed a significant amount of time after suffering an oblique injury during his first at-bat of the season, and that was just the beginning of a crisis that would claim stars like Spencer Strider, Ronald Acuña Jr. and others.
The Braves are hoping for better injury luck in 2025, but things got off to a poor start earlier this week when Murphy suffered a cracked rib after being hit by a pitch. He's expected to miss at least four to six weeks, leaving Atlanta scrambling to find a reliable catcher by Opening Day — a search made more complicated by the fact that previous backup Travis d’Arnaud is now with the Los Angeles Angels.
But Braves fans might not have to sweat this so much after all. It sounds like Chris Sale already knows excatly who Murphy’s replacement should be.
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Chris Sale heaps praise on Braves catcher prospect Drake Baldwin after spring training start
With Murphy sidelined, Braves top prospect Drake Baldwin has emerged as the favorite to be the Opening Day catcher. The 23-year-old backstop has impressed in the Minors the past few seasons and has shown that he has the potential to be successful at the big league level.
Of course, a successful Minor League career doesn’t always translate to big league success. However, Baldwin has already earned the respect of reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale.
Chris Sale said Drake Baldwin was “great” in their work together today. https://t.co/cxlcVvuozT pic.twitter.com/Hy9hKnDiYu
— Gabe Burns (@GabeBurnsAJC) March 4, 2025
Baldwin caught Sale’s spring start on Tuesday, and it went exceptionally well. Sale hurled four hitless innings and only allowed one walk while striking out four, a pretty compelling testament to Baldwin's ability to call games and work well with a veteran pitching staff. Sale’s high praise for Baldwin should speak volumes.
For a veteran like Sale to recognize that Baldwin has such a good work ethic, noting that he is not afraid to ask questions, gives some insight about how healthy of a clubhouse environment the Braves possess. With the way things are trending, it sounds like Baldwin will in fact get the opportunity to start the season at the top of the depth chart.