St. Louis Cardinals prospect Joshua Báez made a historic debut on Saturday, launching home runs in his first three Major League at-bats against the Chicago Cubs. Báez, ranked as the organization's No. 3 prospect by MLB Pipeline, became the first player in MLB history to hit three home runs in his debut, according to MLB’s Sarah Langs.
Báez’s remarkable performance began with the first pitch he saw in the majors, a four-seam fastball from Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, which he drove 449 feet to center field. In his second at-bat, during the fourth inning, Báez connected on a 77 mph changeup for his second home run, sending it over the left-field fence. This second home run placed him in elite company, as he became the ninth player in MLB history to hit two home runs in his debut.
He continued his historic pace in the seventh inning, hitting his third home run off Boyd to drive in Alec Burleson and extend the Cardinals' lead to 6-3. Báez had an opportunity for a fourth home run in the eighth inning but lined out to left field.
At 23 years old, Báez entered the game having led Triple-A with 34 home runs across 103 games with the Memphis Redbirds before his call-up. He also joined the Detroit Tigers' Seby Zavala as the second player in MLB history to hit his first three career home runs in the same game, a feat Zavala accomplished in July 2021.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol described Báez as having "an edge" and "a confidence" with a work ethic that is "fun to watch." Marmol added, "He knows how to get after it. He wants to win, and it’s fun to inject that into this clubhouse because we have a lot of guys that are that way."
The Cardinals, who were 3 ½ games out of the final National League wild-card spot entering Saturday's play, added Báez to their lineup for the stretch run of the regular season. Báez wasted no time in establishing a role and making his mark in the major leagues.