The St. Louis Cardinals are preparing to give one of their most intriguing young outfielders a chance at the major-league level, with 23-year-old prospect Joshua Báez set to join the club’s active roster. Manager Oli Marmol confirmed that Báez is expected to be in the lineup Saturday, marking an important step in the development of a player who has steadily built a reputation for impressive raw power.
Báez, a second-round selection by St. Louis in the 2021 MLB Draft, has spent the past several seasons working his way through the organization. His development has been defined by a fascinating combination of power and swing-and-miss concerns. From 2021 through 2024, Báez accumulated 896 minor-league plate appearances and struck out 34.4% of the time while hitting 24 home runs. The strikeout rate raised questions about whether his offensive tools would translate against more advanced pitching.
However, Báez made significant progress in 2025. Splitting the season between High-A and Double-A, he hit 20 home runs in 499 plate appearances while cutting his strikeout rate dramatically to 20.6%. That improvement convinced the Cardinals to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft by adding him to their 40-man roster last November.
His 2026 campaign has taken his power production to another level. Báez has already smashed 34 home runs in just 461 plate appearances, demonstrating the type of power that could make him a dangerous middle-of-the-order option in the future. The major concern is that his strikeout rate has climbed again, reaching 29.5%. The Cardinals will now have an opportunity to determine whether his power can outweigh those swing-and-miss issues against major-league pitching.
Despite the questions surrounding his consistency at the plate, Báez remains highly regarded by several prospect evaluators. Baseball America ranks him No. 56 overall, while MLB Pipeline places him No. 59. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel also viewed him as a top-100 prospect entering the season. Other evaluators have been more cautious, illustrating the uncertainty surrounding a player whose offensive upside is significant but whose strikeout rate remains a major part of his evaluation.
Báez brings more than just power to the organization. He is viewed as a capable corner outfielder with a strong throwing arm, giving the Cardinals another defensive option as they evaluate their future outfield. His speed is another underrated aspect of his game. He stole 54 bases last season and has already added 21 more steals this year, giving him the potential to contribute on the bases as well as with his bat.
The timing of his promotion is also strategically important. Because of the late point in the season, the Cardinals can give Báez an extended look without necessarily jeopardizing his rookie status for 2027. A player loses rookie eligibility after reaching 45 days of major-league service time, 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched, depending on his role. With the season already well advanced, Báez cannot reach the 45-day service-time threshold this year. If St. Louis keeps his at-bats below 130, he should retain rookie eligibility entering next season.
That could become particularly important because of MLB’s Prospect Promotion Incentive. Players who appear on two of the three major top-100 prospect lists can potentially qualify for the program, which can reward a club with an additional draft pick if the player meets the necessary performance and service-time requirements and receives significant recognition in awards voting.
The Cardinals’ decision to promote Báez also fits with the organization’s broader approach following the trade deadline. Although St. Louis remains within striking distance of the postseason, the club traded several established players, including Dustin May, JoJo Romero and Lars Nootbaar, in deals that brought back younger talent. Those moves suggested that the Cardinals were increasingly interested in evaluating players who could become part of the next version of the roster.
Báez now gets an opportunity to show whether he belongs in those long-term plans. He is expected to join an evolving outfield group that includes Jordan Walker, Nathan Church, Everson Pereira, José Fermín and Bryan Torres. Rather than simply being a late-season promotion, his arrival gives the Cardinals a chance to gather valuable information about one of their most powerful prospects.
The biggest question will be whether Báez can make enough contact to allow his considerable power to play at the major-league level. If he can control the strikeouts while maintaining his home-run production, he could quickly become one of the more intriguing young bats in St. Louis. For now, the Cardinals can afford to give him meaningful opportunities and see how his tools translate against MLB pitching.
With the organization balancing its remaining playoff hopes against the need to develop its next core, Báez’s promotion could prove to be one of the most important auditions of the final weeks of the season.
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