The Braves’ 2026 Draft Shifts After Drake Baldwin’s ROY Win

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00:00The Braves' 2026 draft shifts after Drake Baldwin's Roy Wynn

00:04When Drake Baldwin was announced as the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year,

00:09the headlines were all about the 24-year-old's breakout campaign.

00:13But for the Atlanta Braves, the victory didn't just stop at the trophy presentation.

00:18It launched a ripple effect that will directly impact the franchise's long-term future.

00:23Namely, it set in motion a powerful boost to the club's 2026 MLB draft capital.

00:30One that could very well fuel another wave of young talent.

00:34Thanks to the still relatively new prospect promotion incentive program introduced in the 2022 CBA,

00:40the Braves are set to receive a valuable reward for developing Baldwin the right way.

00:45He was on a top 100 prospect list before the season,

00:48made the opening day roster, and crucially, was never sent back to the minors.

00:53That checked all the PPI boxes, meaning Atlanta will get an extra first-round draft pick in 2026.

00:59If that seems minor, think again.

01:02In recent years, these PPI selections have ranged from the 28th to the 32nd overall pick.

01:08In 2025, for example, the 28th pick carried a slot value of $3.28 million.

01:14With similar trends expected in 2026,

01:17especially after the league-wide bonus pool increased by 5% last year,

01:21it's reasonable to project the Braves' PPI pick could be worth around $3.44 million.

01:27The Braves' expected 6th overall pick could cost about $8 million,

01:31giving them more than $11 million in first-round bonus pool money and significantly boosting their draft power.

01:39Extend that across the top 10 rounds,

01:41and Atlanta could be sitting on an estimated total pool of $16.8 million,

01:45the third-largest in all of baseball last year,

01:49despite receiving no extra help from competitive balance or free agent compensation picks.

01:54And here's the kicker.

01:55Atlanta has already proven it knows how to develop young talent.

01:59The Braves' latest Rookie of the Year win highlights their strong scouting and development,

02:03and with major draft resources,

02:05they appear poised for long-term success well beyond 2025.

02:09The Braves' latest Rookie of the Year win highlights their strong scouting and development,