ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Two Atlanta Braves players took home MLBPA Players Choice awards on Wednesday.
Outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. won National League Comeback Player honors and catcher Drake Baldwin won National League Outstanding Rookie.
Acuña, 27, returned from a torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2024 campaign and immediately provided a spark for a middling Braves offense, posting a .935 OPS and 21 home runs across 95 games.
He announced his return in emphatic fashion, crushing a 467-foot home run on the very first pitch he saw on May 23, his season debut.
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Acuña says that homer was the best moment of his career.
“Remembering, seeing my parents, their eyes watery after I got hurt was devastating.”
Ronald Acuña Jr. didn’t just come back, he came through. Congratulations, Ronald, on being selected by the Players as the NL Comeback Player for the 2025 Players Choice Awards!@Braves |… pic.twitter.com/bt47I1cIKu
— MLBPA (@MLBPA) October 29, 2025
Acuña also won Comeback Player honors in 2022, the season following his first ACL tear that prematurely ended his 2021 campaign. Other Braves to win the honor are Tim Hudson (2010), John Smoltz (2002) and Andres Galarraga (2000).
Baldwin, 24, exceeded expectations in his rookie campaign, ranking first in RBIs (80), batting average (.274), OPS (.810) and slugging percentage (.469) among NL rookies with a minimum of 100 games played. He was one of just seven rookies since 1947 to record 35 extra base hits and 78 RBIs.
“A lot of what drives me to be successful is seeing how hard everybody else works and seeing how much they put into it,” Baldwin said in MLBPA’s video on him. “You just want to go out there and perform your best every night to give them the best show and win as many baseball games as you can”
“What drives me to be successful is seeing how hard everyone else works.”
It’s safe to say Drake Baldwin has put in the work this year. Congratulations on being recognized by your peers as the 2025 NL Outstanding Rookie in this year’s Players Choice Awards!@Braves |… pic.twitter.com/ZUBnfLSlQX
— MLBPA (@MLBPA) October 29, 2025
Thrown into the fire on Opening Day, Baldwin platooned with Sean Murphy behind the plate nearly all season, proving his worth as a long-term option at the catcher position for Atlanta.
Other Braves to win the honor are Spencer Strider (2022), Acuña (2018), Craig Kimbrel (2011), Rafael Furcal (2000) and Chipper Jones (1995).
Major leaguers have voted to recognize their peers annually since 1992 as part of the Players Choice awards program. These awards are voted on by the active MLB Player membership.
2025 Players Choice awards winnersPlayer of the Year – Seattle Mariners C Cal RaleighMarvin Miller Man of the Year – Cincinnati Reds LHP Brent SuterPhilanthropist of the Year – Philadelphia Phillies RHP Aaron NolaCurt Flood Award – Don Baylor & Scott SandersonAL Outstanding Player – Seattle Mariners C Cal RaleighNL Outstanding Player – Philadelphia Phillies DH Kyle SchwarberAL Outstanding Pitcher – Detroit Tigers LHP Tarik SkubalNL Outstanding Pitcher – Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Paul SkenesAL Outstanding Rookie – Athletics 1B Nick KurtzNL Outstanding Rookie – Atlanta Braves C Drake BaldwinAL Comeback Player – Texas Rangers RHP Jacob deGromNL Comeback Player – Atlanta Braves OF Ronald Acuña Jr.