The St. Louis Cardinals have decided to call up their No. 3 overall prospect, Joshua Baez, after Friday’s loss against the Chicago Cubs. The move makes sense considering the season Baez has had in the minor leagues.
The 23-year-old outfielder has dominated Triple-A, posting a .256 batting average, .328 on-base percentage, .901 OPS, 34 home runs and 90 RBIs across just 103 games. He is big-league ready.
Manager Oli Marmol confirmed that Baez would make his debut at Wrigley Field on Saturday, according to Jeff Jones of Belleview News.
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With Baez heading to the big leagues, his addition paves the way for the Cardinals to change Jordan Walker’s role.
Walker has fully broken out in his fourth big-league season. Across 118 games, he has posted a .282 batting average, .342 on-base percentage, .828 OPS, 23 home runs and 84 RBIs.
While Walker put together a strong rookie season back in 2023, he spent 2024 and 2025 bouncing between the minors and the big leagues before finally establishing himself as a consistent everyday presence this year.
Walker earned his first All-Star selection and put on a show during the entire break, winning the Home Run Derby by upsetting Kyle Schwarber at Citizens Bank Park.
Walker’s value comes almost exclusively from his bat. With Baez now in the mix and capable of playing all three outfield spots, it makes sense for the Cardinals to consider moving Walker out of the outfield entirely. Given his frame he could potentially shift to first base, or the Cardinals could use him primarily as the designated hitter to focus solely on his hitting.
The move also makes sense defensively, as he has posted a fielding run value of -6 this year according to Baseball Savant.
Getting Walker’s bat in the lineup every day without the defensive liability is a straightforward upgrade, and Baez’s arrival finally gives St. Louis the outfield depth to make that happen.
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