ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves rookie phenom catcher Drake Baldwin has won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Baldwin, 24, made his big league debut on opening day in late March and hit .274 with 19 homers, 80 RBIs and an .810 OPS in 124 games.
Baldwin went up against Chicago Cubs rookie starting pitcher Cade Horton and Milwaukee Brewers rookie infielder Caleb Durbin and beat the two opponents by twelve votes. The second-place finisher was Horton.
This is the Braves fifth Rookie of the Year winner this century, joining SS Rafael Furcal (2000), CP Craig Kimbrel (2011), OF Ronald Acuna Jr. (2018) and OF Michael Harris II (2022). He became the first catcher to win the award since Giants great Buster Posey won NL Rookie of the Year in 2010.
Baldwin, a Missouri State baseball standout, won the award on Monday night when Philadelphia Phillies legend Ryan Howard announced the winner.
