Twenty years after earning National League Rookie of the Year distinction as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, Missouri State alum and three-time MLB All-Star Ryan Howard announced the winner of the same award on Monday.
It was another ex-Missouri State slugger, one who earned a scholarship at MSU which Howard sponsored.
Seven months after his MLB debut, the Atlanta Braves’ Drake Baldwin was named the 2025 Jackie Robinson National League Rookie of the Year, the first catcher given the honor since 2010.
Baldwin had a .274 batting average, hit 19 home runs and drove in 80 runs, three years after being selected in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft. He led National League rookies in RBI, batting average, OPS (.810) and slugging (.469).
The 24-year-old Wisconsin native debuted in the Braves’ season-opener due to an injury to veteran catcher Sean Murphy. Baldwin made the most of the opportunity and stuck with the big-league club throughout the year.
“I don’t know if you guys know, but (Drake and I) went to the same college,” Howard said on the MLB Network broadcast on Monday. “It’s always been fun watching you, man, since your days back at Missouri State. Continued success. It’s the only award you can win once and you did, bro. (Retired Missouri State coach Keith Guttin) is out there and he is happy for you.”
Both Howard and Baldwin played for Guttin before his 2024 retirement.
“This is wild. Looking back at the start of the year, I never thought I would be in this position,” Baldwin said on the MLB Network. “Even a couple weeks in (the season); there’s so many ups and downs. Now being able to cap this off with this award is just so special.”
Baldwin shared a 26-man Braves roster with former Missouri State pitcher Pierce Johnson, leading to occasional All-MSU batteries during the season.
In a July story on Baldwin published in the Springfield Daily Citizen, both Baldwin and Johnson said they loved their time at Missouri State and Springfield and still keep in touch with staff, including current head coach Joey Hawkins.
“It’s an incredible coaching staff there,” Baldwin said. “I’m excited to see how they do in Conference USA. They had a great run in the (Missouri Valley regular) season last year, so I think they’ll keep it rolling.”
Missouri State had four players in the MLB in 2025, including Baldwin, Johnson, Texas Rangers third baseman Jake Burger and Washington Nationals catcher Drew Milas.
Ryan Collingwood covers college and high school sports in the Springfield metropolitan area for the Daily Citizen. Have a story idea or gripe? Send an email to rcollingwood@sgfcitizen.org, call or 417-837-3660, or follow Ryan on social media at X.com/rwcollingwood. More by Ryan Collingwood