Sometimes, handicapping the American and National League Rookie of the Year races is about being flexible—feeling out who's hot at any particular moment over the course of a long season.
However, sometimes, the art of assessment requires patience. Throughout the year, Braves catcher Drake Baldwin has bobbed up and down the NL pecking order. He’s been prone to weekly foibles, but all along he’s slashed .280/.352/.457 with 15 home runs, 62 RBIs and 2.6 bWAR in what could plausibly be described as part-time duty, and he’s now pushed past Sean Murphy to claim the lion’s share of the starts behind the plate in Atlanta.
