SAINT LOUIS, MO. — St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Baez made his Major League Baseball debut earlier today, and he wasted no time showing why the organization believed in his power.
The 23-year-old slugger launched a home run on the very first pitch he saw in the majors, sending the ball a reported 449 feet into the bleachers. And he wasn't finished.
Baez followed his first homer with another blast to left field before sending a third home run to right field, giving him three home runs in his MLB debut. All three homers came against Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd.
Baez entered the season regarded as one of the top power hitters in the minor leagues, but there were questions about whether that power would translate against Major League pitching. He answered those questions emphatically.
With three home runs in his first game, Baez became the first player in MLB history to hit three home runs in his Major League debut, making an immediate mark in the Cardinals' lineup and baseball history.
For St. Louis, what began as a highly anticipated debut quickly turned into a historic afternoon for one of the organization's most intriguing young hitters.
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