Cardinals Promote Ryan Helsley Trade Chip in Busy Day of MiLB Moves

The St. Louis Cardinals shook things up down in the minors a bit on Monday.

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Throughout the 2026 season, St. Louis Cardinals No. 3 prospect Joshua Báez has gotten a lot of buzz left and right, and rightfully so.

He has been incredible in Triple-A and has 25 homers and 64 RBIs in 67 games played. The Cardinals' farm system has been impressive all season, to say the least. Joshua isn't even the only Báez tearing the cover off the ball. 21-year-old infielder Jesús Báez has been awesome for the organization as well this season.

So much so that he was promoted from High-A Peoria to Double-A Springfield on Monday amid a handful of minor league moves by the organization.

"INF Jesús Báez and OF Won-Bin Cho have been transferred from Peoria (A+) to Springfield (AA)," the Cardinals announced. "INF Michael Dattalo has been transferred from Palm Beach (A) to Peoria. RHP Victor Santos' (AAA) rehab assignment has been transferred from Palm Beach to Peoria.

Jesús Báez Is Heading Up To Double-A

Apr 21, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"C Alex Birge has been transferred from the FCL to Palm Beach. INF Jonathan Mejia (A) has been placed on the 7-day IL. INF Trey Paige & OF Zach Levenson (AA) have been placed on the Development List."

Of all the moves by the organization on Monday, the promotion of Báez from High-A to Double-A is the biggest. The 21-year-old has had an excellent season so far and has flashed some elite pop. He has played in 54 games so far this season and has 14 homers and 41 RBIs to go along with a .247/.300/.489 slash line.

Báez was a big get for the Cardinals in 2025. He was a member of the New York Mets' farm system and came over to the Cardinals in the trade centered around All-Star closer Ryan Helsley. On top of Báez, the Cardinals got right-handers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt.

Dohm has appeared in 11 games so far this season, including nine starts, for High-A Peoria and has a 9.00 ERA. Elissalt hasn't pitched in a game in 2026.

Báez was the biggest addition of the trade and he has looked like it so far in the Cardinals' organization. In 2025, he hit 14 homers total in 103 games in the Cardinals' and Mets' farm systems. This year, he has already matched that total in about half the number of games played. If he can keep up this level of play, a promotion to Triple-A by the end of the season certainly could be in the cards.