The St. Louis Cardinals may have uncovered another future star in their farm system, as top prospect Joshua Báez continues to put together an eye-catching breakout season at Triple-A Memphis.
According to Patrick McAvoy, excitement around the 22-year-old outfielder is rapidly growing throughout the organization, and for good reason. Báez, the Cardinals’ No. 3 prospect and a former second-round draft pick, has transformed from a raw talent with enormous upside into one of the hottest hitters in minor league baseball.
After showing major signs of development during the 2025 season, Báez carried that momentum into Spring Training earlier this year, where he impressed enough to make a serious push for a spot on the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster. Although the club ultimately decided more seasoning at Triple-A would benefit him, he has responded in the best way possible by dominating pitching and forcing his name deeper into the conversation for a major league promotion.
Báez has been on an extraordinary power surge recently, launching five home runs over a three-game span. He crushed two homers on Tuesday, followed it up with another pair on Wednesday, and added one more long ball on Thursday, continuing what has become a remarkable stretch at the plate.
The slugger’s production this season has been impossible to ignore. Through 47 games, Báez is batting .257 with a .338 on-base percentage and a powerful .578 slugging percentage, giving him an impressive .916 OPS. He has already smashed 16 home runs while driving in 39 RBIs, numbers that place him among the most dangerous power hitters in Triple-A.
His current pace projects to over 50 home runs across a full major league season, a testament to the raw power that has long made him one of the Cardinals’ most intriguing prospects. While strikeouts and swing consistency remain areas for improvement, his ability to impact games with one swing has become increasingly evident.
Even Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom recently praised Báez’s development, describing him as both a “special kid” and a “special person.” Bloom emphasized that Báez’s emergence is no accident, crediting the young slugger for overcoming early-career struggles through hard work and dedication.
Bloom also acknowledged that while Báez still has adjustments to make particularly against different pitching matchups and in refining his offensive approach the organization firmly believes his elite power will translate to the major league level.
For a Cardinals lineup that could use more middle-of-the-order power, Báez is quickly becoming one of the most exciting names in the system. If he continues producing at this level in Triple-A, it may only be a matter of time before St. Louis gives the young slugger his long-awaited opportunity in the majors during the 2026 season.
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