The Braves drafted Baumann out of Hagerty High School in Florida in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, using the 126th overall pick on right wing. Baumann received a signing bonus of $747,500, which was enough to lure him away from his commitment to the University of Central Florida.
What were the expectations for 2025?
After a solid 2024 campaign, expectations were fairly higher for Baumann entering this season, especially after he posted a 3.18 ERA across 20 appearances (19 starts) between Augusta and Rome. Just getting through his first full pro season, regardless of level, would have been good enough. However, he managed to get to Rome towards the end of the season for a starting spot, allowing him to join the Emperors to start the 2025 season.
The biggest concern for Baumann – who stands 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds – has always been about control and his ability to limit walks. So far, Baumann has shown solid control over his pro career, leading him to record 198 strikeouts and 56 walks.
Baumann was given the nod to return to Rome in early 2025 and once again showed his ability to make significant progress against better competition. In 23 starts for the Emperors, the 21-year-old pitched 113.2 innings and struck out 108 batters while walking 31 batters.
While the walk totals were decent, Baumann struggled a bit when it came to the long ball, as he gave up 10 home runs in his 23 starts.
Overall, it was a very successful season for Baumann, simply from the standpoint that he stayed healthy throughout the season and also managed to put up very solid numbers across the board.
Given his success at the top A-level over the past two seasons, it stands to reason that Baumann will most likely start 2026 at Columbus. Although it’s possible he returns to Rome for one or two spots to get a head start before being promoted to double-A.
While Atlanta’s front office hasn’t been shy at all about promoting high-performing players, it doesn’t seem likely that Baumann falls into the same category. He could absolutely come out and dominate with Columbus and that could clearly change those narratives – and he has the potential to do that.
All in all, if Baumann can show he can repeat his success at the Double-A level, there’s good reason to expect him to finish his season at Gwinnett with his sights set on Atlanta in early 2027.
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