Atlanta Braves catcher and former Missouri State University star Drake Baldwin won the National League award for Rookie of the Year. He joined Athletics star Nick Kurtz, who won the American League Rookie of the Year.
Baldwin, 24, stepped up for Atlanta after No. 1 catcher Sean Murphy was sidelined by a cracked rib in spring training. While Murphy was limited by injuries for much of the year, Baldwin hit .274 with 19 homers, 80 RBIs and an .810 OPS in 124 games.
Baldwin’s win secured an extra selection for Atlanta after the first round in next year’s amateur draft under the collective bargaining agreement’s prospect promotion incentive.
“I was just going into it with an open mind, kind of realizing how cool it is to even be a finalist for it,” Baldwin said. “But I didn’t know how it was going to turn out. I know it’s tough to rank or try to judge who had a better year between a pitcher and a hitter or a catcher.”
Baldwin received 21 of 30 first-place votes. Cubs right-hander Cade Horton got the other nine first-place votes and finished second, followed by Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin. The balloting was conducted before the postseason.
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Baldwin said Horton had a fantastic year.
“Either way, even if he would’ve won, I would have had all the respect in the world for him and I’d have understood why,” he said.
Baldwin played for Missouri State from 2020-2022. He grew up in Madison, Wisconsin.
Baldwin and Kurtz each get $750,000 from a pre-arbitration bonus pool, and runners-up Horton and Wilson each receive $500,000.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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