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MLB World Reacts to Joshua Baez Performance in Cardinals-Cubs Game

Today is a special day in the St. Louis Cardinals organization as longtime top prospect Joshua Baez has officially made his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs.

After the Cardinals dropped their series opener against the Cubs on Friday afternoon, they are looking to even up the series on Saturday afternoon.

As for Joshua Baez making his MLB debut, he wasted ZERO time making an impact on the team.

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Joshua Baez Homers In First MLB Pitch He Sees

GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: Joshua Báez #22 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on August 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images)

UPDATE: Joshua Baez has done it AGAIN! Two home runs in his first two MLB at-bats.

Joshua Baez is a man possessed in his MLB debut:

Baez’s second home run gives the Cardinals a 4-3 lead on Saturday afternoon.

On the very first MLB pitch he’s seen in his (what should be a long) career, Joshua Baez crushed a home run off Cubs’ starter Matthew Boyd into the left-center field stands at Wrigley Field.

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Here are some more reactions across the social media landscape:

@MLBPipeline wrote: 
“It’s not supposed to be that easy!” “MLB’s No. 59 prospect Joshua Báez pulverizes the first pitch he sees in The Show 449 feet at 108.6 mph for the @Cardinals”
@jacobledelman wrote (via X.com): “14 players who are 23 or younger have hit a ball 445+ ft this season. Baez joined the list after seeing one pitch”
Matthew Boyd left a mistake over the middle of the plate, and Joshua Baez DID NOT miss it.
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More on Cardinals’ Joshua Baez

GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 15: Joshua Báez #22 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on August 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images)

Joshua Baez may emerge as a star in MLB very quickly if he keeps this pace, which obviosuly he’s not going to hit a home run in every at-bats (maybe he actually will…), but with the impact he could have on the current Cardinals roster.

MLBTR.com’s Darragh McDonald wrote (about the Joshua Baez promotion):

“Despite the concerns, Báez is still considered a top 100 prospect by some. Baseball America currently lists him #56 overall and MLB Pipeline has him at #59. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN had Báez #93 coming into the season. Some are less optimistic, however. Keith Law of The Athletic didn’t have Báez top 100 before the season and recently provided an updated top 70 with no Báez on it. FanGraphs currently lists him sixth in the Cardinals’ system and outside the Top 100.”

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MiLB.com lists Joshua Baez as the Cardinals No. 3 overall prospect.

Over 103 games in AAA this season, Baez was batting .256 with 34 home runs, 22 doubles, and an OPS of .901.

Here is a piece of his MiLB.com prospect bio: 
“After being plagued by massive contact issues early in his career, stemming in part from his large frame and strike zone at 6-foot-3, Báez cut down on the noise in his pre-swing load and was much more streamlined toward the ball with a bat path that stayed in the zone much longer. The results were obvious. His whiff rate dropped from 39 percent in 2024 to a much more manageable 27 percent, and he didn’t sacrifice power in the process. His raw power remains plus-plus, and he could challenge for 30-plus homers with these changes.”
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