Unlike the Dodgers, who seemingly buy all of their star players, the Braves have had an uncanny ability to develop their own talent over the years.

Spencer Schwellenbach is the most recent pitching prospect to come up through the system. He should’ve garnered more recognition  for his rookie campaign, recording a 3.35 ERA across 21 starts, but Paul Skenes and Jackson Merrill stole the show, and deservedly so.

Before him, it was Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider, who finished first and second in the 2022 Rookie of the Year voting. Now, the next crop of rookies has arrived — Drake Baldwin and AJ Smith-Shawver.

Entering Thursday’s game, neither was a favorite to take home the award, but they’re creeping up the list. Luisangel Acuna, the little brother of Ronald Acuna Jr., is the current odds-on favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year at +400, followed by Agustin Ramirez at +450, A.J. Smith-Shawver and Dylan Crews at +600, with Drake Baldwin sitting at +1000, per DraftKings.

Those odds might not be as good tomorrow, considering the performances of the Braves rookies in the series finale against the Nationals. AJ Smith-Shawver went six strong, and the Washington lineup barely put up a fight, mustering just two hits and one unearned run. Drake Baldwin also had another huge game, going 3-for-4 on the afternoon, which gives him nine hits in his last 12 at-bats.

Smith-Shawver has seemingly taken the proverbial leap in his development this season. The 22-year-old has always had electric stuff, but his command has hampered him in the past. With that under control, AJSS has a 2.33 ERA across seven starts, even more incredible given it took him a few outings to get his feet under him.

Similarly, Baldwin got off to a slow start when he was thrust into the starting role to begin the season in the absence of Sean Murphy. He hit just .091 in his first six games; although, a lot of that was due to abysmal luck. He was peppering balls all over the diamond that just couldn’t find any green grass.

However, since Murphy’s return, Baldwin is hitting just a hair under .500 over his last 21 games. No, that’s not a typo; the rookie backstop has 25 hits in his last 52 at-bats, showing off elite bat to ball skills every time he steps into the box.

There’s still a lot of season to go, but A.J. Smith-Shawver and Drake Baldwin could be the Braves next rookie duo in line for some hardware.

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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire