The Braves have a gem in Drake Baldwin

“It reminds me of Brian McCann when he came up,” manager Brian Snitker said. “He got called up from Double-A, he didn’t even touch Triple-A. But for me, there’s a lot of similarities in the ballplayers and the feel for the game. They’re offensive catchers. It’s great to have.

“It’s a hard position, but he’s doing all the studying, all the work. As you’re around him, I know talking to Kranny (pitching coach Rick Kranitz), his instincts, his feel, it’s really, really good. He’s a bright, bright kid.”

Baldwin, 24, is hitting .357 with a .983 OPS in his first 29 games. He’s been a revelation, unexpectedly becoming Mr. Reliable in a lineup that’s produced inconsistently. It quickly became clear the Braves were better with Baldwin on the field.

“It’s definitely kind of crazy looking at the scorecard and seeing it,” Baldwin said of his start.

Baldwin has a hit in his past six games. He started consecutive games this weekend in Boston for the first time since fellow catcher Sean Murphy has been healthy. Snitker planned that Saturday morning, seeing the benefit of having another left-handed bat in the lineup against Red Sox righties Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello.

In those starts, Baldwin went 3-for-9, with a homer, three RBIs and two runs scored.

The Braves have a welcomed conundrum on their hands. They let Travis d’Arnaud walk over the winter, intending to give Murphy more playing time. He’s played well, producing an .848 OPS and handling the pitching staff accordingly. Snitker assures the Braves will find ways to get the most of both catchers.

“It’s not a platoon, per se, just travel days, matchup-type things,” he said. “The kid (Baldwin) is hitting. He’s going to play more. That’s just the way it is, the way it goes. It keeps him active as well as Murph. When you can do that, you may get a lot out of that position.”

‘A good 1-2 punch’

The Braves swung a splashy trade for Murphy two winters ago and signed him to a lucrative extension. He has three years and $45 million (plus a club option) left on his contract. He’s in his prime at age 30.

Baldwin, meanwhile, isn’t even 30 games into his career, so the only discussion about his contractual control is whether the Braves will explore inking him to one of their famed long-term agreements. The Braves have both of these players, cost-controlled, for the foreseeable future.

Perhaps next season, the Braves could alternate the players as designated hitters (Marcell Ozuna is a free agent this winter). But that’s a discussion for another day. Right now, the Braves need to maximize this situation. They’re blessed with two of baseball’s rarest commodities: All-Star-level catching. And Murphy has already proved an invaluable mentor for Baldwin.

“It’s a ton of fun to play, and Murph has been great to me,” Baldwin said. “When he comes in and pinch hits, and when I’m catching, he’s helped me a ton. It’s a good 1-2 punch.”

Baldwin’s five home runs are one behind Washington’s Dylan Crews for the rookie lead. Crews has played in 15 more games. Although Baldwin hasn’t had the workload of everyday players like first baseman Matt Olson and third baseman Austin Riley, he leads the Braves in average and OPS. His on-base percentage (.400) is behind only designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (.420).

The Braves have noted his defensive improvement — 4look at how comfortable he appeared firing to second base to nab Jarren Duran on Saturday. It’s a world of metrics, but watch Baldwin handle himself, and he’ll pass any eye test.

“I couldn’t break it down super in-depth, but it’s definitely smoother than it’s been before,” Baldwin said. “That was a big emphasis in the offseason, throwing and footwork and all that. When you do it day in and day out, you don’t necessarily see the results right away. But now, being able to throw some guys out and put some better throws on the bases, it shows that the work is paying off.”

His game-planning has drawn rave reviews from starters. Reigning Cy Young-winner Chris Sale endorsed Baldwin as the opening-day catcher when Murphy was injured. Recently, Spencer Schwellenbach — who’d caught Baldwin in the minor leagues — praised him for his communication.

Baldwin does a nice job mixing analytical data with his opinion and feel, Schwellenbach said. After games, he approaches pitchers to see what worked and what needs to be adjusted. He’s big on communication and clarity, necessary ingredients to succeed in his position. He’s emphasized developing relationships and rapport.

“I can’t say enough good about him,” Olson said. “The at-bats speak for themselves. The guy is putting the barrel on the ball every time, it feels like. Really pro at-bats. The ins and outs of being a catcher, working with the staff — being a rookie juggling those things, he’s doing a really good job. I know Murph is helping him along the way, too. It’s been impressive.”