Braves' rising star hitting ball 97.2 MPH average exit velocity as Opening Day looms
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Some hitters always look particularly ready for the regular season to get underway by the end of Spring Training.
Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin is one of those guys.
Coming off a stellar rookie season, Baldwin hit the ground running this spring and is on an absolute tear with Opening Day arriving later this week.
The basic stats are impressive enough: Baldwin hit .325 this spring with a .997 OPS and a pair of home runs.
The advanced stats? Even better.
"Everything the reigning National League Rookie of the Year hits, he hits hard," MLB.com's David Adler wrote in a new article. "Baldwin has a 74% hard-hit rate -- tied for the best of nearly 500 hitters with at least 30 Spring Training plate appearances. His average exit velocity is 97.2 mph. And his barrel rate is a superb 23% -- that means he's not just hitting the ball really hard, he's hitting the ball really hard and in the air, which is the formula for extra-base hits. The 24-year-old could quickly cement himself as one of the best offensive catchers in the game."
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Of course, this isn't a total surprise. It's how Baldwin earned himself Rookie of the Year honors last season.
But it's still incredibly impressive. That 97.2 MPH average exit velocity should come down a bit, as that'd lead all of baseball, but if Baldwin stays even close to that, it will make him one of the most dangerous hitters in the sport.
The Braves are hoping to bounce back in 2026. Baldwin wasn't a part of the problem last season, but he can certainly be part of the solution this time around.
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