The St. Louis Cardinals may have just introduced baseball to their next star.
Joshua Báez entered Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs as one of the most exciting prospects in the Cardinals' organization. He left Wrigley Field having accomplished something no player in Major League Baseball history had ever done. Báez homered in each of his first three MLB at-bats, turning his highly anticipated promotion into an unforgettable debut and immediately changing the conversation about his future in St. Louis.
One day later, baseball expert Jake Mintz made it clear just how quickly the excitement surrounding Báez has grown.
"The hype train is officially running full speed ahead on Joshua Baéz after his incredible debut on Saturday 🚂," Yahoo Sports wrote Sunday while promoting Mintz's analysis of the Cardinals rookie.
After what Báez did in Chicago, the hype suddenly feels justified.
Joshua Báez Makes MLB History With Cardinals
There are impressive debuts, and then there is what Báez did Saturday.
The 23-year-old didn't even wait for a second Major League pitch to announce himself. Báez attacked the first pitch he saw from Cubs starter Matthew Boyd and crushed it an estimated 449 feet to center field.
His second trip to the plate produced another home run.
Then came a third.
Báez finished his debut 3-for-4 with three home runs and five RBIs as St. Louis defeated Chicago 8-4. More importantly, he became the first player in MLB history to homer in each of his first three career at-bats.
It was the type of performance that instantly takes a prospect from intriguing to impossible to ignore.
Báez's power shouldn't have come completely out of nowhere, either. He had already established himself as one of the organization's most dangerous young hitters during his rapid climb through the minor leagues, blasting 34 home runs before receiving his promotion to St. Louis.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol had offered a telling assessment of Báez before the rookie's historic afternoon.
"It doesn't quietly whisper," Marmol said of Báez's talent. "It screams at you when you watch this kid for any length of time."
Báez then spent the afternoon proving his manager's point.
Cardinals' Joshua Báez Hype Is Only Beginning
One spectacular game does not guarantee Báez will become a superstar. Baseball has humbled plenty of promising young players after explosive starts.
But Saturday provided a glimpse of why the Cardinals have been so intrigued by him.
Báez combines legitimate power with athleticism that has been evident throughout his minor league career. In 2025, he hit .287 with 20 home runs while stealing 54 bases. His power took another significant jump this season before St. Louis finally decided it was time to see what he could do against Major League pitching.
The answer, at least for one afternoon, was terrifying for opposing pitchers.
St. Louis is assembling an increasingly intriguing young core that includes JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson and Iván Herrera. Báez now has an opportunity to force his way into the center of that conversation.
There will inevitably be adjustments. Pitchers will learn Báez's tendencies, exploit weaknesses and make him prove Saturday wasn't merely one magical afternoon.
That's what makes what comes next so fascinating.
Báez arrived in Chicago as a highly regarded Cardinals prospect.
Three swings later, the hype train was moving at full speed.
