The Cardinals are giving fans a first real glimpse at what the next wave could look like, and it starts with Joshua Báez. St. Louis is promoting its No. 3 prospect, and the 23-year-old is set to make his MLB debut against the arch-rival Chicago Cubs.
Báez arrives with plenty of momentum behind him. Last season, he broke through with 20 home runs, 54 stolen bases and an .884 OPS after a rough start to his professional career. A few swing tweaks and more playing time helped him settle in, and this year he’s backed that up in Triple-A.
In 103 games, the burly right-handed hitter put together a .256/.328/.573 slash line with a .901 OPS. Most of that damage has come from the long ball and the kind of raw slugging that jumps off the page.
The power is obvious. So are the swing-and-miss questions that have followed him through the minors.
That’s the real issue here: Báez can punish a mistake, but the strikeouts remain part of the package. His current 29.5% strikeout rate is the kind of number big-league pitchers love to see, and it’s why some observers have already pointed to Nolan Gorman’s path as a cautionary tale. Gorman flashed early, then struggled to adjust once the league adjusted back.
For Báez, though, this call-up is less about instant offense and more about learning what the next level demands. It’s a development checkpoint as much as anything else, a chance for the Cardinals to see exactly where he stands and what still needs work.
As for where he plays, center field looks like the most likely landing spot for most of his at-bats, though DH is also in the mix. That could matter if St. Louis wants to keep his bat in the lineup without asking him to patrol the outfield every day.
The move also has ripple effects elsewhere. Catcher Jimmy Crooks had been getting a real run of opportunity, especially after a solid series in The Bronx, which bumped him higher in the order and gave him more work behind the plate. But he didn’t do much with those chances, and Báez’s arrival could push him into a smaller role.
The Cardinals have made their priorities pretty clear at catcher, too. They want Iván Herrera behind the plate.
If that weren’t the plan, the team would have moved him a long time ago. Even though he still hasn’t thrown out a baserunner this season, he remains a legitimate presence at catcher.
There’s also some talk of a platoon with Nathan Church, which would give both rookies a path to steady playing time and a better shot at success.
No matter how the Cardinals arrange the pieces, Báez brings a different kind of thump to the roster. It’s the sort of power St.
Louis fans have seen before from Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and, before them, Albert Pujols and Jimmy Edmonds. And with Báez in the mix, there’s a good chance a few more balls start leaving the yard.
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