Baldwin's rise is rewarded with being named the top rookie for May Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Braves Drake Baldwin Named NL Rookie of the Month

Originally posted on Atlanta Braves on SI
By Harrison Smajovits | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 5:42 PM ET

Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin has been named the National League's Rookie of the Month for May. He received the honor alongside The Athletic's Jacob Wilson, who took home the American League honor.

In May, Baldwin had a .389 average, a 1.004 OPS, three home runs and nine RBIs.

Drake Baldwin: .389 AVG, 1.004 OPS, 3 HR, 9 RBI
Jacob Wilson: .368 AVG, .975 OPS, 10 XBH, 16 RBI

Your NL and AL Rookies of the Month for May! pic.twitter.com/euEM09xQ5A
— MLB (@MLB) June 3, 2025

His quick rise through the ranks continues. He gained notoriety last season with a strong arrival to Triple-A and Spring Training. He started the season as the Braves' top prospect and has already graduated from the prospect label.

Baldwin didn't even have to be an everyday starter to win it. He only started 12 of the 19 games he played in. In the other games, he came in in the late innings as mainly a pinch hitter with one as a pinch runner.

He continued to show his high level of plate discipline during that stretch, being set down on strikes five times in 56 plate appearances (8.9%). He displayed heroics too. On May 8, after missing a chance to end it in the ninth, Baldwin walked it off for the Braves in the bottom of the 11th inning.

Along with his consitency at the plate, he continues to improve as a catcher. This has helped him take some starts away from All-Star catcher Sean Murphy, who's also been having himself a solid season overall.

Baldwin was named a top candidate for the National League Rookie of the Year award by MLB.com, sitting only behind his teammate and fellow member of the battery, right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver. However, he's gone down with a torn UCL. By default that makes the catcher the leading candidate now, and receiving a rookie of the month honor is a good step toward the overall season honor.

Baldwin has the highest OPS among qualified rookies in the National League (.868) and is second behind Wilson for the best in all of baseball. These are his numbers despite a slow start to the season - he was 1-for-18 in his first five games.