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Worry not: Drake Baldwin’s success hasn’t gone to his (cheese) head

Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin takes batting practice during spring training workouts at CoolToday Park, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in North Port, Fla. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

The plaque that Drake Baldwin received for being voted the National League Rookie of the Year was not the only prized hardware that the Braves catcher accepted this past offseason.

In late December, Baldwin was accorded an honor that any proud son of Wisconsin would cherish — a Packers cheesehead hat with his name on it, courtesy of the franchise. He was gifted the wedge-shaped headgear at a Packers home game when he was invited onto Lambeau Field’s hallowed turf along with two other elite athletes and Green Bay fans, golfer Nelly Korda and soccer player Khyah Harper.

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Ken Sugiura is a sports columnist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Formerly the Georgia Tech beat reporter, Sugiura started at the AJC in 1998 and has covered a variety of beats, mostly within sports.

Ken Sugiura is a sports columnist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Formerly the Georgia Tech beat reporter, Sugiura started at the AJC in 1998 and has covered a variety of beats, mostly within sports.

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