Ranking Braves Prospects By Position: Catcher
Drake Baldwin continues to impress
I used to be somewhat knowledgeable of the Braves minor league system.
Knowledgeable enough to feel like I could make a decent Top 30 or even Top 50 prospect rankings.
But over the last few years, I stopped putting the time into learning the Braves minor league system like I once did. To put a stop to that, along with hopefully producing a Top Whatever list, I am starting position-by-position rankings in the Braves' system. I'll start with catcher, move on to corner infielders, middle infielders, outfielders, right-handed starters, left-handed starters, and then relievers. If I have any other guys I feel deserve a little extra shout-out, I'll add a "just missed" team at the end.
Bats: Left / Throws: Right
Acquired: 3rd Round, 2022
2024 Highest Level: Triple-A
Over two-and-a-half years, Baldwin has climbed the charts in catcher prospect rankings. Last season, Baldwin struggled to open the year, slashing .222/290/.299 over his first 32 games with Mississippi. He found his way after that, posting a .744 OPS over his next 20 games to earn a promotion to Gwinnett. He continued his hot hitting there, hitting .298 with a .407 OBP. Baldwin added 13 doubles and 12 homers to push his slugging to .484 and his OPS to .891. A 135 RC+ from a catcher? That'll do.
Baldwin combines a great eye at the plate and shows good pop to all fields, though unsurprisingly more toward his pull side. Defensively, he's more of a work in progress but has made great strides in his receiving skills and handling of pitchers. He only threw out 20% of baserunners last year but possesses a good arm and better mechanics, his caught-stealing rate should improve.
Overall, Baldwin is going to be a major leaguer. There seems to be little doubt on that front. Whether or not it will be as a starter or even the bigger half of a platoon as a rare left-handed catcher is debatable at this point. He's not an elite catching prospect (yet) but has handled everything the Braves have thrown at him. Theoretically, he is the current favorite to join Sean Murphy this year as he brings considerably more to the table than Chadwick Tromp. The Braves will likely bring in another catcher to pair with Murphy, though. Even if they didn't, they probably would prefer for Baldwin to continue working in his game before coming to the majors. If Murphy struggles again in 2025, though, Baldwin might get a shot.
Bats: Right / Throws: Right
Acquired: 13th Round, 2021
2024 Highest Level: Double-A
The difference between 1 and 2 in this list is big. That said, Zebrowski has shown some nice pop, hitting 34 homers over the last three seasons. He also has shown a decent ability to walk. Unfortunately, a subpar hit tool and a high strikeout rate limit his offensive skillset. That's even more unfortunate because Zebrowski's defense is not a strength. He has a good arm and has had slightly better results throwing out runners than Baldwin, but it's hardly anything to write home about. Zebrowski probably has maximum value as organizational depth, though the power remains intriguing.
3. Nick Montgomery
Bats: Right / Throws: Right
Acquired: 5th Round, 2024
2024 Highest Level: DNP
You could argue Montgomery is the second-best catcher on this list because of his potential. You might also rank him near the bottom because we did not see him play last year. I did not find out why he did not play, but my theory is that they wanted to work on the kid, who was just out of high school, a bit more. It also took nearly a million to sign Montgomery so the Braves have a vested interest in seeing how the former Arizona State commit plays out.
Montgomery is a tall drink of water at 6'4" with legit raw power that could become his calling card. His swing needs work to make enough consistent contact. Defensively, his arm can play, but his size might not. Many tall catchers get pushed off the position to first base or left field if their bat is good enough to handle the transition.
At this point, we want to see what Montgomery can do. The offensive side is enticing. Can he remain behind the plate where his bat is an even bigger boost? I doubt we’ll get that answer in 2025. The Braves will probably exercise patience before jumping to a conclusion. I imagine he'll get a late start and play at the Complex when their season opens, though he could push his way onto the Augusta roster.
4. Tyler Tolve
Bats: Left / Throws: Right
Acquired: 17th Round, 2021
2024 Highest Level: Double-A
Tolve's case is similar to the guy selected four rounds ahead of him, Zebrowski. Tolve opened up eyes in 2022, hitting a dozen homers over 75 games with a .809 OPS. Injuries limited him in 2023 and a return trip to Mississippi last year led to a disappointing .667 OPS. Tolve is athletic behind the plate, though has produced even less luck throwing out runners than Baldwin and Zebrowski. We've seen glimpses of greatness from Tolve, but at this point, the ceiling is lowering on what kind of catcher he can be.
Bats: Right / Throws: Right
Acquired: International Free Agent, Jan. 2023
2024 Highest Level: Single-A
Parababire is an interesting guy. Signed at 16 out of Venezuela, Parababire was playing in the Dominican Summer League that summer. Catchers often need a year to build up for that kind of challenge, which says a lot about his physical maturity at a young age. Not only that, the then-17-year-old held his own, hitting .255/.381/.404 with two homers over 29 games. He started this year with Augusta, though that was just a cameo as a third catcher option before joining the Complex squad for its season. He hit .262 with a .458 OBP there. Eleven of his 16 hits were doubles, giving him a .443 SLG.
Now, we see an actual challenge. Taking advantage of wild teenage pitchers is one thing. Can he hit well enough in A-ball? That is something to watch. But at a position where it's Drake Baldwin and a lot of meh, guys like Montgomery and Parababire stand out as potential guys to keep in mind heading into 2025. Parababire could easily rocket up this list with a decent showing - especially as a 19-year-old.
That’s it for catchers. If you want to receive updates on these rankings and more, please consider subscribing. Every article I write is currently free and seeing subscriptions is just nice. Also, consider sharing this article to any social media that you use.