Okay, so get this: St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Báez just did something absolutely wild, something no one in major league history has ever pulled off. On Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the left fielder didn’t just hit a home run in his MLB debut, he crushed three dingers in his first three at-bats! That’s not just a good start, that’s rewriting the freaking record books.
All-Fields Power Straight Outta The Minors
Báez didn’t waste any time showing off that power, either. His first major league pitch? Gone. A monstrous 449-foot blast that sailed halfway up the center field bleachers. Then he went yard to left field, followed by another to right field. Talk about all-fields power! And he did it all against Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd. Honestly, you gotta wonder what Cubs manager Craig Counsell was thinking leaving Boyd in to face Báez a third time, especially with the Cardinals only up 4-3 and Boyd approaching 90 pitches. Sure enough, Báez punished that decision, and Jordan Walker added another homer right after. It was an absolute power clinic.
Not Just A One-Off: This Kid’s Been Crushing It
If you think this was some fluke, think again. Báez didn’t just come out of nowhere; he was leading the entire minor leagues with 36 home runs before his call-up, all at the Triple-A level! He was slashing .256/.328/.573 in 103 Triple-A games. Baseball America had him ranked as the 56th-best prospect in the game for a reason, calling him one of the best power-hitting prospects around. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol was already raving about him, saying Báez has “an edge to it,” and “a confidence to it.” He also noted Báez’s “work ethic that’s fun to watch too.” It sounds like this kid is the real deal, ready to get after it and win.
Beyond Elite: A Class Of His Own
Báez isn’t just in elite company, he’s at the top of it. He’s only the eighth player in baseball’s Modern Era to hit multiple homers in his regular-season MLB debut, joining guys like Jose Fernandez of the Diamondbacks and Chase DeLauter of the Guardians, who both did it earlier this season. But here’s the kicker: no one else has ever hit three in their debut, let alone in their first three plate appearances. Bob Nieman (1951) and Keith McDonald (2000) are the only other players to hit homers in their first two MLB at-bats, but McDonald did his across two separate games. Báez? He just decided to make history all at once. What a performance!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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