The Atlanta Braves may not have entered 2025 with a farm system that had scouts drooling, in fact, they were ranked 26th in all of MLB. But once again, they’re proving that rankings don’t win games. Talent does.
And right now, AJ Smith-Shawver and Drake Baldwin are putting on a rookie showcase that has the rest of the National League scrambling to catch up.
Smith-Shawver Leads the Pack
Let’s start with AJ Smith-Shawver, the 21-year-old righty who’s been on Braves fans’ radar for a while but has finally locked in as a legitimate front-line weapon.
Despite logging appearances in each of the last two seasons, he entered 2025 with just 29 2/3 career innings. That was enough to preserve rookie status and, as it turns out, just enough seasoning to be ready to break out.
He’s done exactly that. Smith-Shawver currently owns a dazzling 2.33 ERA — best among all NL rookies — along with 40 strikeouts and a .218 opponent batting average.
But it’s been his performance since his return from Triple-A Gwinnett that has turned heads across the league. In his last four starts, he’s pitched to a 1.08 ERA and held hitters to a minuscule .141 batting average. Simply put, he’s been dominant.
That combination of consistency, command, and electric stuff earned him first place in MLB.com’s latest Rookie of the Year rankings, even securing 10 first-place votes.
Baldwin Breaks Through — And Keeps Hitting
And then there’s Drake Baldwin, the 23-year-old catcher who’s taken the league by storm in arguably a more unexpected way. Not even considered a top-100 prospect by MLB.com, Baldwin wasn’t supposed to be this good, this fast, especially not on a team already boasting Sean Murphy, one of baseball’s best catchers.
But here he is, slashing .357/.400/.983 on the season, leading all qualified NL rookies in both batting average and OPS. He’s added five home runs for good measure, including three in May alone, where he’s hitting an absurd .531 with a 1.406 OPS across just 32 plate appearances.
And don’t forget the flair for the dramatic, Baldwin already has a walk-off hit to his name. Whether he’s in the starting lineup or coming off the bench, the bat simply hasn’t cooled down. That type of impact doesn’t just earn accolades — it forces playing time, even in a loaded Braves roster.
Braves’ Development Model Pays Off Again
So how do the Braves keep doing this? With a farm system ranked in the bottom five, Atlanta shouldn’t be fielding two of the top Rookie of the Year candidates. Yet they are.
It’s a testament to player development, scouting instincts, and a clubhouse culture that lets young guys contribute immediately. Neither Smith-Shawver nor Baldwin had the prospect pedigree of a Jackson Holliday or a Dylan Crews. But, they’ve got something even better right now: results.
It’s early, and the season still has months to go, but through the first quarter, AJ Smith-Shawver and Drake Baldwin are not just in the Rookie of the Year conversation — they’re leading it. In Atlanta, where expectations are always high, that’s not just a bonus — that’s part of the plan.
