Meet Joshua Báez: What to Know Before His Cardinals Debut

Saturday is going to be a significant day for the St. Louis Cardinals organization, to say the least.

The Joshua Báez era is finally here. Cardinals fans don't need to wait any longer.

Báez is expected to be in the lineup on Saturday as the Cardinals try to get back in the win column against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The expectation is that Báez will be replacing César Prieto on the roster.

With Báez coming to town, let's dive into everything you need to know about the young slugger before his big league debut.

Second-Round Pick

Mar 7, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Joshua Baez (22) rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the second inning against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Báez is from Boston, Massachusetts. Back in 2021, the young slugger was selected in the second round of the MLB Draft out of the Dexter School (Brookline, MA). He began his professional baseball career that year with the FCL Cardinals and appeared in 23 games. In 2022, he played in just 32 games down in the minors across Class-A Palm Beach and the FCL Cardinals. The 2023 campaign wasn't huge for him either. He played in 91 games with Class-A Palm Beach and batted .218 with seven home runs.

He took a step forward in 2024, but he didn't really break out until 2025. Last year, Báez played in 117 games across High-A and Double-A and slashed .287/.384/.500 with 20 homers, 79 RBIs and 54 stolen bases. That's what got the fanbase's attention.

Spring Training Standout

Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Joshua Baez (22) throws a ball during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He carried his momentum from the 2025 season to Spring Training ahead of the 2026 season. In fact, he was so good in the spring, that he made a case for himself to get the call to the majors out of camp with the Cardinals looking for a left fielder with Lars Nootbaar on the Injured List.

He played in 10 games and slashed .333/.417/.762 with a 1.179 OPS, three home runs and five RBIs. The Cardinals sent him down to Triple-A, but it was clear that his time would come at some point.

2026 Season

Now, his time has come. Báez kept the good times rolling down in the minors this season and slashed .256/.328/.573 with a .901 OPS, 34 home runs, 90 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 103 games with Triple-A Memphis.

He earned this promotion, to say the least. Now, he's going to bring an intriguing combination of power and speed to a lineup that could use both. It's been a long road, but Báez is here to stay.

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