The Cardinals’ top minor league honors for June went to two players who kept producing in very different ways: left-hander Mason Molina and infielder Jesús Báez.
St. Louis announced on July 13, 2026 that Molina, a starter with Springfield in Double-A, and Báez, who split time between High-A Peoria and Springfield, were the organization’s Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Month, respectively.
Molina’s month was built on command, efficiency and strikeouts. Over five June starts, he worked 29.1 innings, went 2-0, posted a 2.45 ERA, and finished with a 0.89 WHIP and 31 strikeouts.
He turned in four quality starts, led qualified Cardinals minor league pitchers in innings pitched, quality starts, strikeouts and walks per nine innings at 1.53, and ranked second in WHIP and third in opponent’s OPS at .576. He also closed the month on a 12.1-inning scoreless streak, which included back-to-back 6.2-inning winning starts without allowing an earned run.
Every one of his five outings featured at least five strikeouts, and on June 9 against Amarillo he matched his career high with nine punchouts.
“Mason put together an outstanding body of work by translating measurable player plan progress into consistent game performance,” said Cardinals Director of Player Development Larry Day. “The efficiency of his starts stemmed from improved count leverage and the ability to attack hitters with a legitimate five-pitch mix.
Most notably, his changeup saw increased usage vs. left-handed hitters as he established it as a legitimate weapon to both sides of the plate. The combination of improved execution and career-high fastball velocity reflect the continued development of Mason’s overall arsenal, positioning him well for sustained success moving forward.”
The 23-year-old was acquired from the Texas Rangers at the 2025 trade deadline along with RHP Skylar Hales and international bonus pool money in exchange for RHP Phil Maton. A former 2024 seventh-round pick out of the University of Arkansas, Molina was promoted to Triple-A Memphis on June 30 after 14 starts in his first Double-A season. He is the Cardinals’ No. 27 prospect and finished his time in Springfield with a 2.87 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, a .199 average against, a 28.8% strikeout percentage and a 9.1% walk percentage over 69.0 innings.
Báez put together a loud month at the plate, hitting .323/.378/.708 with seven home runs, 11 extra-base hits, 21 RBI, 16 runs scored and a 1.086 OPS in 17 games between Peoria and Springfield. Among Cardinals minor leaguers with at least 70 plate appearances, he led the way in slugging percentage and also ranked near the top of the system in home runs, RBI, extra-base hits and OPS.
His bat stayed hot from the jump. Báez opened the month with a nine-game hitting streak, part of a 12-game run overall, and drove in at least one run in 11 of his 17 games.
After his June 23 promotion to Springfield, he wasted no time making an impact, launching three home runs in his first six games there and setting a new single-season high with his first Double-A homer on June 24. That swing also pushed him to 15 homers on the year.
“Player of the Month is recognition of process, not just performance. Jesús earned this honor because of his unwavering commitment to improving every day,” stated Day.
“He committed to swing enhancements that focused on creating a slightly more uphill bat path, and he attacked that work relentlessly alongside our hitting staff. Whether it was controlled training at the front of the cage or challenging, game-like environments, he embraced every opportunity to develop.
Most importantly, he carried that same high-ball-flight intent into competition every day. The performance was a byproduct of a disciplined process that never wavered.”
Báez came to the Cardinals from the New York Mets at the 2025 trade deadline in the deal that also brought in RHP Nate Dohm and RHP Frank Elissalt in exchange for RHP Ryan Helsley. The right-handed hitter, originally signed by the Mets as an international free agent in January 2022, has broken out in his first full season with St.
Louis’ organization, carrying a career-best .821 OPS through 66 games. He also ranks among the minor league leaders in the system with 19 home runs, 31 extra-base hits, 135 total bases and 52 RBI.
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