Two Wisconsin natives poised for Major League debuts, make Opening Day rosters

[ASFN Admin]

Two Wisconsin high-school alumni will presumably get a chance to make their Major League debuts after making the Opening Day roster for their respective Major League Baseball teams.

Atlanta Braves top prospect Drake Baldwin, a Madison West alum, has been informed he'll make the cut with the Braves, and the team bought his contract from Class AAA Gwinnett on Friday.

Baldwin is expected to serve as the team's primary catcher, with Sean Murphy sidelined by injury with a cracked rib. He ranks as the No. 1 prospect in the organization according to MLB pipeline.

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When he crouches behind the plate for Opening Day in San Diego, as expected, he'll serve as catcher to reigning National League Cy Young winner Chris Sale. Baldwin will also be one day shy of his 24th birthday.

Baldwin's mother, Bridgette, teaches in Sauk Prairie, according to MLB.com, and she was the first person he texted with the news.

The Braves made Baldwin a third-round pick (96 overall) from Missouri State in 2022. He played in the MLB Futures Game last year and has a career .807 OPS in the minors, with 32 home runs.

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Middleton's Alan Roden enjoys red-hot spring, gets the call​

Outfielder Alan Roden, from Middleton, also received news that he'd be making his Major League debut with the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays.

Roden, 25, had a torrid spring training, batting .423 with a 1.287 OPS. That was enough for the No. 5 prospect in the organization to win a spot, and the Blue Jays expect him to play all three outfield spots and serve as designated hitter.

It helps that Marshfield native and former UW-Milwaukee player Daulton Varsho will open the year on the injured list, but Roden is expected to stay on the roster even when Varsho returns in April.

Roden, also taken in the third round in 2022 (No. 98, two spots after Baldwin), has a career .860 OPS in the minors, with 27 homers.

These new names will be in new places​

Though teams haven't officially announced their rosters for Opening Day later this week, there are a few player movements you might have missed:

• There's at least a chance Baldwin will be part of a back-to-back Wisconsinite connection in the lineup; Waukesha West's Jarred Kelenic will likely get the start in right field for the Braves. Perhaps former Brewers shortstop Orlando Arcia will be in the lineup, as well.
• Appleton West alum Danny Jansen will likely start for the Tampa Bay Rays; he signed a one-year deal this offseason with the new squad.
• Former Brewers minor-leaguer Shane Smith, a Rule 5 pick this offseason by the Chicago White Sox, is likely to have a spot in the rotation.
• Former Brewers first baseman Rowdy Tellez could start at designated hitter for the Seattle Mariners on Opening Day after a strong spring.
• The New York Mets will again have a pair of former Brewers in the lineup with noted Milwaukee villain Jesse Winker at designated hitter and Tyrone Taylor playing center field.
• Kenosha Indian Trail's Gavin Lux, traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason, will get a shot to play third base for the Cincinnati Reds.
• Corbin Burnes is now a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, though Zac Gallen will get the opening-day start for the Snakes.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Two Wisconsin natives poised for Major League debuts on Opening Day

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