St. Louis Cardinals Phenom Joshua Baez Crushes 500-Foot Homer, Sets Minor-League Record — Watch the Viral Video Now

Rookie outfielder Joshua Báez delivered the greatest first impression imaginable Saturday afternoon, clubbing three home runs in his first three Major League at-bats during the St. Louis Cardinals’ 9-6 win at Wrigley Field, an achievement no other player in MLB history has ever matched. The 23-year-old Dominican slugger wasted no time: he launched the first pitch he saw—a 97 mph fastball from Cubs right-hander Cade Horton—440 feet to left-center. Two innings later he pulverized a hanging slider into the bleachers, and in the fifth he ambushed another first-pitch heater for a third blast, sending the sold-out crowd into stunned disbelief. Báez’s historic trifecta came less than 24 hours after the Cardinals promoted their No. 3 prospect from Triple-A Memphis, where he led the International League with 34 homers and a 1.029 OPS. Manager Oliver Marmol penciled him into the cleanup spot immediately, citing Báez’s “game-changing power and fearless approach.” The move paid off handsomely: according to Statcast, the rookie’s three long balls left the bat at 110.2 mph, 108.7 mph, and 112.4 mph respectively, travelling a combined 1,311 feet. Cardinals veterans were quick to praise their new teammate. Nolan Arenado called the performance “storybook stuff,” while Paul Goldschmidt added, “You just witnessed a franchise moment we’ll be talking about for decades.” Even rival Cubs fans offered a standing ovation when Báez flied out in the seventh inning, ending his bid to tie the single-game rookie record of four homers. Who is Joshua Báez? Signed for $2.25 million out of the 2021 draft’s second round, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound outfielder rocketed through the Cardinals’ system thanks to elite bat speed, a 70-grade arm and plus athleticism. Although swing-and-miss concerns linger—he struck out in 28% of Triple-A plate appearances—St. Louis believes his power and disciplined zone control will offset the whiffs. Scouts routinely compare his upside to a young Giancarlo Stanton, a parallel Báez embraces. “I model my game after the big guys who can change a game with one swing,” he said pre-game. From a playoff standpoint, Báez’s arrival injects much-needed thunder into a Cardinals lineup that has hovered around league average in slugging and ranks just 10th in the NL in runs scored. St. Louis entered the day 1.5 games behind Milwaukee for the final wild-card spot; if Báez’s bat stays hot, the Redbirds could ride his momentum into October contention. Fantasy managers took notice too—Báez’s roster percentage on major platforms jumped from under 5% to over 70% within hours, making him the week’s most-added player. Looking ahead, Marmol confirmed Báez will remain the everyday right fielder, at least while Lars Nootbaar rehabs a hamstring strain. The rookie will face a tougher test Sunday night against Cubs ace Justin Steele, but given Saturday’s fireworks, no matchup seems too daunting. Whether Báez ultimately carves out a Cooperstown résumé or merely enjoys a legendary debut, one fact is already etched in the record books: he is the first player ever to homer in his first three career plate appearances, a feat that turned an ordinary summer Saturday into instant baseball lore.