Former Gwinnett Stripers Catcher Drake Baldwin Named 2025 National League Rookie of the Year
IL Gwinnett Stripers

Former Gwinnett Stripers Catcher Drake Baldwin Named 2025 National League Rookie of the Year

Published on November 10, 2025 under International League (IL)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia - Major League Baseball announced tonight that Atlanta Braves catcher and former Gwinnett Striper Drake Baldwin has received the 2025 Jackie Robinson Award for National League Rookie of the Year from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

The 24-year-old Atlanta Braves catcher collected 21 of 30 first-place votes from the BBWAA, becoming the third former Gwinnett player to win the award. Pitcher Craig Kimbrel (2009-10 with Gwinnett, won with Atlanta in 2011) and outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (2017-18 with Gwinnett, won with Atlanta in 2018) also earned the honors.

Baldwin played 75 games with the Stripers from 2023-24, batting .300 with 13 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 42 runs, 57 RBIs, and an .893 OPS. He was selected by MiLB.com as a Braves Organization All-Star after both seasons, and following his 2024 breakout campaign was named Atlanta's Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. On July 13, 2024, Baldwin became the eighth Gwinnett player all-time to participate in an MLB All-Star Futures Game.

Entering 2025 ranked the Braves' No. 1 prospect by MLB.com, Baldwin spent the entire year in the Majors with Atlanta. Over 124 games, he batted .274 with 18 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs, 56 runs, 80 RBIs, and an .810 OPS. Among qualifying NL rookies, Baldwin ranked in the top five in RBIs (1st), average (2nd), homers (2nd), total bases (2nd, 190), slugging percentage (2nd, .469), OPS (2nd), extra-base hits (3rd, 39), walks (T-3rd, 38), hits (4th, 111), runs (T-4th), and on-base percentage (5th, .341).

Atlanta's third-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Missouri State University, Baldwin was the first of seven Gwinnett alums to make Major League debuts in 2025.

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International League Stories from November 10, 2025


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