Braves’ Walt Weiss Facing Ozzie Albies, Drake Baldwin Decision Ahead of MLB Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Charlie O'Keefe | Last updated Mar 13, 2026 5:54 PM ET

The Atlanta Braves didn't have a lot to celebrate in 2025 en route to a 76-86 season that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2017, but the emergence of rookie catcher Drake Baldwin was a notable exception. Now, manager Walt Weiss must decide if it will be Baldwin or veteran Ozzie Albies taking up the second spot in the batting order, sandwiched between Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson.

Historically, Albies has taken up the #2 spot in the order, playing the majority of his games there in 2023 and 2024. But Albies has been trending down at the plate for a couple of seasons now, and 2025 was his worst one yet as he posted a .671 OPS in 157 games, which was 11% below the league average.

With the rapid rise of Baldwin, Weiss is considering all options. Back in Braves' camp after Team Netherlands was eliminated from the WBC, Albies batted second against a LHP on Friday, but Weiss added that he's "still toying" with whether it will be Albies or Baldwin batting second against left handers in the regular season (h/t Mark Bowman, MLB.com).

Walt has Albies batting second against a lefty today. He says he's still toying with whether Albies or Baldwin will bat second vs. LH starters. Just a guess, but if a team doesn't have a strong LH presence in the pen, he might be more likely to pair LHHs Baldwin & Olson in the…
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) March 13, 2026

That Baldwin has even made this a question is just as much of a testament to the strength of his 2025 season as it is to the futility of Albies'. Entering 2025 as the Braves' top-ranked prospect (h/t MLB Pipeline), Baldwin cracked the Braves' Opening Day roster after a cracked rib put Sean Murphy on the Injured List.

From there, Baldwin proceeded to run away with the starting catcher job, winning the National League Rookie of the Year award on the back of 19 home runs, 81 RBIs, an .810 OPS, and strong defense behind the plate in 124 games played.

Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (30) © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

A LHH catcher is not the typical candidate to bat second against LH pitchers, but the 24-year-old Baldwin has exceptional splits against left handers, posting a remarkable .818 OPS in 95 plate appearances versus southpaws last season.

In the past, the switch-hitting Albies has dominated left-handed pitching, with an .890 OPS in 1,133 plate appearances. But in 2025 that OPS plummeted to just .708, and there are doubts that the Braves veteran can return to his old form at the plate.

That said, Albies has been a Brave for nearly a decade and he stands on the precipice of his tenth season with the team. Typically, that level of experience automatically warrants consideration for a top spot in the batting order.

Whether Albies is actually still fit for the top of the order remains to be seen, but Weiss will have to commit to him or Baldwin sooner rather than later as Opening Day approaches.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: