The Joshua Báez Dilemma for Cardinals After Lars Nootbaar Trade

The St. Louis Cardinals have a hole in the outfield after trading Lars Nootbaar away. The Cardinals also have a clear answer to replace him in Triple-A in No. 3 prospect Joshua Báez. While this is pretty clear, Báez remains in Triple-A.

Let's dive into the situation from all angles.

Joshua Báez The Player

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 a 23-year-old slugger in the middle of an eye-opening season down in Triple-A. The 2021 second-round pick really put himself on the map in 2025 with 20 homers and 79 RBIs in 117 games across High-A and Double-A.

This season, he has been even better. Báez has played in 98 games for Triple-A Memphis and has 32 homers, 84 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a .252/.326/.571 slash line. There are some swing-and-miss questions around Báez, but clearly it hasn't been a problem this season.

When the 2026 season began, there were questions about the right-handed power for the Cardinals in the majors. Jordan Walker quieted a lot of that noise by stepping up and having a comeback season for the ages. The club still could use more right-handed pop, though. Báez is the answer. He's playing well enough for a promotion, but what's holding the Cardinals back?

Joshua Báez The Prospect

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

Báez is an elite-level prospect. Again, he's the Cardinals' No. 3 overall prospect. On top of this, he's the No. 44 overall prospect in baseball, per MLB.com. He looks ready for the majors and if his power from Triple-A carries over, he could make an impact right away.

But we're in a tricky part of the season for top prospects. When it comes to St. Louis, the Cardinals aren't likely to make the playoffs this season. With that being said, there's the luxury of time when it comes to promoting top prospects. If the Cardinals were to wait a little longer, they could easily promote Báez, while maintaining his rookie eligibility for the 2027 season. Arguably, that is the most logical reasoning behind him still being down in Triple-A, whether the club would admit that or not.

For Báez to maintain rookie status in 2027, he would need to finish the 2026 season with fewer than 130 at-bats and 45 total days on the active roster. The Cardinals' final day of the 2026 season is on Sept. 27. That is 51 days away. So, if the Cardinals were to wait another week or so, they could have him on the roster for fewer than the 45-day threshold. Then, he'd have an entire season as a rookie for St. Louis and would be eligible for the 2027 Rookie of the Year Award, which would bring a draft pick back to St. Louis.

So, at the end of the day, the talent is there for Báez to get promoted. But we're at a point in the season in which there are other factors worth talking about as well.

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