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Joshua Báez

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Joshua Báez
Báez with the Memphis Redbirds in 2026
St. Louis Cardinals – No. 22
Outfielder
Born: (2003-06-28) June 28, 2003 (age 23)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 15, 2026, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
(through September 11, 2026)
Batting average.261
Home runs7
Runs batted in18
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • MLB records for most home runs in a debut (3) and consecutive home runs to begin a career (3)

Joshua Emanuel Báez (born June 28, 2003) is a Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). In his MLB debut on August 15, 2026, he hit home runs in his first three MLB plate appearances, becoming the first player to do so.

Early life and amateur career

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Báez was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and moved to Santo Domingo as an infant. He and his family moved back to Boston and into the neighborhood of Dorchester when he was in sixth grade.[1][2][3] He knew no English and used Google Translate to communicate.[4] He began his high school career at Cristo Rey Boston High School and transferred to Snowden International School as a sophomore where he threw up to 97 miles per hour as a pitcher while also batting .442 with twenty runs batted in (RBI) and 11 stolen bases.[5][6]

Prior to his junior year, Báez transferred to Dexter Southfield School.[7] He was named the Massachusetts Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year as a junior in 2020, despite there being no season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, due to his work ethic and potential.[8] In a shortened 2021 season in which he appeared in 16 games, he hit .378 with three home runs alongside pitching to a 1.94 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 18 innings.[9][10] He committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University.[11]

Professional career

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The St. Louis Cardinals selected Báez in the second round, with the 54th overall selection, of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[12][13] He signed with the Cardinals for $2.25 million.[14] He made his professional debut in early August with the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Cardinals.[15] Over 95 plate appearances, Báez hit .158 with two home runs, eight RBI, three doubles, 28 strikeouts, and 14 walks.[16]

Báez began the 2022 season in extended spring training.[17] In mid-May, he was assigned to the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Single-A Florida State League. After one game, Báez was placed on the injured list with a left wrist sprain.[18] He rehabbed in the Florida Complex League and then returned to play with Palm Beach in mid-August.[19] Over 32 games between the two teams, Báez batted .267 with four home runs, 21 RBI, and ten stolen bases.[20] Báez returned to Palm Beach for the 2023 season.[21] Over 91 games, he hit .218 with seven home runs, 36 RBI, and thirty stolen bases.[22] In 2024, Báez opened the season with the Peoria Chiefs of the High-A Midwest League and also played with Palm Beach, batting .245 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI over 86 games between both teams.[23] He spent time on the development list during the season.[24]

Báez opened the 2025 season with Peoria and was promoted to the Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Texas League in late May.[25] Over 117 games between the two affiliates, he hit .287 with 20 home runs, 79 RBI, and 54 stolen bases.[26] On November 18, 2025, the Cardinals added Báez to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[27]

Báez hit .333 with three home runs during 2026 spring training with the Cardinals, and was optioned to the Memphis Redbirds of the Triple-A International League to open the 2026 season.[28] He hit four home runs in the Redbirds' game on June 16, which marked a Memphis single-game record.[29][30][31]

On August 14, 2026, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol announced that Báez would be promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[32] At the time of his call-up, he had played in 103 games for Memphis and had a .256 batting average, 34 home runs, and 90 RBI.[33]

Báez made his MLB debut on August 15, 2026, as the Cardinals' starting left fielder against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. He hit a home run on the first pitch of his first MLB plate appearance off Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd.[34] He hit additional home runs, also off Boyd, in his second and third plate appearances.[35] He made MLB history by being the first person to hit three home runs in his first three at bats,[36] or in his major league debut.[37] In Báez's case, he was the first to do so in his first three plate appearances.[38] Báez finished the game 3-for-4 with three home runs and five RBI in an 8–4 Cardinals victory.[39]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Joshua Baez, 17-year-old slugger and likely MLB draftee, making Boston proud". Foxsports.com.
  2. ↑ "Dexter Southfield ballplayer Josh Baez considered first-round talent". Boston Herald. May 1, 2021.
  3. ↑ Gammons, Peter. "Gammons: Prospects have talent and drive, even as baseball opportunities shrink". The Athletic.
  4. ↑ Castiglione, Duke (May 15, 2021). "Meet a 17-year-old from Mass. who is drawing dozens of big league scouts". Wcvb.com.
  5. ↑ "Better than George Springer? Dorchester's Josh Baez has 'major-league tools all over the place'". Boston Globe.
  6. ↑ "Cards pony up to lure CF Báez from Vandy". MLB.com. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  7. ↑ Dahn, Jeff (November 9, 2020). "Boston's Baez lives for the summer". Perfectgame.org.
  8. ↑ "No baseball, but Josh Baez is player of the year anyway". Boston Herald. May 27, 2020.
  9. ↑ Askeland, Kevin. "2021 MaxPreps All-America Team: Louisiana pitcher Jack Walker headlines high school baseball's best". MaxPreps.
  10. ↑ "Work ethic on and off the field, and long home runs, tell just part of the story of Cardinals draft pick Joshua Baez". Ksdk.com. July 12, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ "2021 first-rounder? Dexter star Joshua Baez hits 97 mph on radar gun". New England Baseball Journal. June 11, 2020.
  12. ↑ Goold, Derrick (July 20, 2021). "Joshua Baez Adds To Cardinals' Young Hitting Depth". Baseballamerica.com. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  13. ↑ "St. Louis Cardinals pick Vanderbilt baseball signee Joshua Baez in Round 2 of 2021 MLB Draft". The Tennessean.
  14. ↑ "Dorchester's Josh Báez chooses Cardinals over college, signs for $2.25 million – the Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.
  15. ↑ @RobRains (August 2, 2021). "Joshua Baez, #STLCards second-round pick, is making his pro debut today for the Florida Complex League team, playin…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ↑ "These Cardinals prospects are on the rise". MLB.com. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  17. ↑ "'What I'm looking for this year is consistency': In first full year of pro ball, Baez aims for adjustments". April 5, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Cardinals' Joshua Baez: Placed on injured list". May 18, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Cardinals' Joshua Baez: In midst of rehab assignment". August 2022.
  20. ↑ "Joshua Baez Stats, Fantasy & News".
  21. ↑ Dykstra, Sam (April 5, 2023). "Where Cardinals top prospects are starting 2023 season". MLB.com. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Joshua Baez Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News".
  23. ↑ Rains, Rob (April 5, 2024). "Where are Cardinals minor-league prospects beginning this season?". KSDK. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  24. ↑ Pontes, Geoff (August 21, 2025). "How Rising Cardinals OF Joshua Baez Reinvented His Career In 2025". College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects – Baseball America. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Joshua Baez Slams Two Homers, Continues His Resurgence". College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects – Baseball America. June 20, 2025. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  26. ↑ Scranton, Lyndal (September 18, 2025). "Joshua Baez is enjoying a breakout season with Springfield". Springfield Daily Citizen. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Cardinals Select Four Players". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  28. ↑ Goold, Derrick (March 10, 2026). "Roster for St. Louis (and Memphis) crystallizing after Cardinals option Joshua Baez, others". STLtoday.com. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  29. ↑ "'He hit that one to his dad': Joshua Báez launches four homers in remembrance of late father". MLB.com. October 13, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Báez becomes first Redbird to mash four homers in win over Sounds". MLB.com. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  31. ↑ "'He hit that one to his dad': Joshua Báez launches four homers in remembrance of late father". MLB.com. October 13, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Cardinals' Joshua Baez: Slated for major-league debut Saturday". CBS Sports. August 14, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  33. ↑ "St. Louis Cardinals Rookie Joshua Baez Introduces Himself With 3 Home Run Debut". Fox Sports. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  34. ↑ Sweet, Zach. "3 HRs in 1st 3 at-bats?! Cards prospect Báez first to accomplish feat in epic big league debut". MLB.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Cardinals rookie Joshua Baez makes history with 3 HRs in debut". ESPN. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  36. ↑ "Joshua Báez first player to homer in first 3 at-bats in the majors, leads Cardinals past Cubs 8-4". ESPN. Associated Press. August 15, 2026. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
  37. ↑ Lacques, Gabe (August 15, 2026). "Cardinals' Joshua Báez becomes first to homer three times in MLB debut". USA Today. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
  38. ↑ Canfield, Ryan (August 15, 2026). "Cardinals rookie makes MLB history by hitting a home run in each of his first three career plate appearances". Fox News. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
  39. ↑ Casselberry, Ian (August 15, 2026). "Joshua Báez becomes first MLB player to hit home runs in first 3 career at-bats for Cardinals debut". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
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