World Series champion catcher Martín Maldonado joins the Braves

To be clear, the Braves’ intention here is not to use Martín Maldonado as a player, even though adding a third catcher is an area of need with Sean Murphy expected to miss time early in the season.

Instead, Maldonado will be transitioning into the coaching ranks after his playing career, where he profiles as a potential managerial candidate down the road. Catchers often make the best managers, especially those known for their ability to handle pitching staffs. Maldonado was never much of an offensive presence, posting a career .620 OPS, but he stuck around the league for an impressive 15 years largely because pitchers loved throwing to him.

Perhaps there’s a scenario where Maldonado gets the itch to play again and the Braves find themselves desperate for catching depth, but regardless, having that kind of baseball mind in the building should be viewed as a net positive, particularly for a young backstop like Drake Baldwin and for the pitching staff as a whole.