Joshua Baez's massive debut moonshot is a sample of what's in store

Joshua Baez was promoted to the majors on Saturday to help boost the St. Louis Cardinals' offense, one that has been stumbling for several weeks. Given Baez's propensity to hit the ball hard and far, the assumption was that he would provide offense, and he's already done just that in his debut game against the Chicago Cubs.

Joshua Baez, MLB Pipeline's 59th-ranked prospect in baseball, came up to bat in the top of the first inning against the Chicago Cubs with a man on first and a 1-0 game. Left-hander Matthew Boyd was on the mound, and his first pitch to Baez was launched the opposite direction immediately.

Josh Baez launched a high-and-away fastball 449 feet to deep center field at Wrigley Field. The ball left his bat at 108.6 miles per hour, something that followers of the Cardinals' farm system have grown very familiar with.

Baez was promoted to the majors following an exceptional minor league season. He was slashing .256/.328/.573 with 34 home runs in Triple-A with the Memphis Redbirds. His home run on the first pitch he saw against the Cubs is more of the same for the sensational outfielder.

Joshua Baez will save the St. Louis Cardinals offense.

Baez joins a long list of players who have hit a home run in their debut game. Few, however, have hit one in their first at bat. Even fewer have hit a home run on the first pitch they see in the majors.

Eddie Morgan (1936), Chris Richard (2000), Gene Stechschulte (2001), and Adam Wainwright (2006) are the only four players prior to Joshua Baez to hit a home run on the first pitch of their major-league careers.

The most recent rookie to hit a home run in his debut game would be Bryan Torres, who hit a home run in his debut on May 23, 2026. Second baseman and presumptive Rookie of the Year winner JJ Wetherholt also hit a home run in his debut on March 26, 2026, Opening Day for the 2026 season.

Baez's 449 shot is the third-longest home run by a Cardinal this year, trailing only two of Jordan Walker's home runs, one that went 459 feet and another that went 454 feet.

Hopefully, Joshua Baez can be a mainstay for the St. Louis Cardinals and continue to hit home runs. While he won't hit one on every pitch he sees, we can only hope that the 34 home runs he hit in the minors are an indication of what's in store in the majors.

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