St. Louis Cardinals rookie Joshua Báez delivered one of the greatest Major League Baseball debuts ever, smashing three home runs in his first three MLB at-bats and making baseball history against the Chicago Cubs.
Joshua Báez didn't simply announce his arrival in the majors — he made history.
The highly regarded St. Louis Cardinals prospect put together an unforgettable performance at Wrigley Field, hitting three home runs in his first three Major League at-bats as the Cardinals defeated the Chicago Cubs 8-4.
According to MLB, Báez became the first player in Major League history to homer in each of his first three career plate appearances, immediately putting the 23-year-old slugger into the baseball record books.
Joshua Báez Homers on the First Pitch of His MLB Career
Báez wasted absolutely no time showing why the Cardinals were excited about his power.
Facing Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd, Báez attacked the first Major League pitch he ever saw and launched it 449 feet for a home run.
For most rookies, hitting a home run in their first MLB at-bat would be enough to make their debut unforgettable.
Báez was only getting started.
He returned to the plate and homered again in his second at-bat. Then, in the sixth inning, Báez stepped to the plate for the third time and went deep once again.
Three plate appearances.
Three home runs.
History.
A Major League Debut Baseball Had Never Seen
Plenty of players have produced memorable MLB debuts, and a select group have even hit multiple home runs in their first game.
Nobody had done what Báez accomplished.
Báez became the first player to hit three home runs in his first three career plate appearances and the first player to hit three home runs in his Major League debut.
The performance was even more memorable because members of Báez's family were in attendance at Wrigley Field to witness his historic arrival.
Cardinals May Have Another Young Star
The performance immediately puts a spotlight on Báez as one of the most interesting young players in baseball.
St. Louis selected Báez in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. His road through the Cardinals' farm system wasn't always smooth, but his power remained one of his most intriguing tools.
Before receiving his promotion, Báez had established himself as one of the organization's top prospects and one of the more dangerous power hitters in the Cardinals' minor-league system.
Now baseball fans have gotten their first look at what that power could become at the Major League level.
One game doesn't determine a player's career, but few players in MLB history have ever introduced themselves quite like this.
Joshua Báez Becomes an Instant Name to Watch
Baseball is constantly searching for its next generation of stars, and performances like this can change the trajectory of a young player's career almost overnight.
Báez went from highly regarded Cardinals prospect to a player being discussed throughout baseball in the span of three at-bats.
The challenge now will be adjusting as Major League pitchers learn his tendencies and begin changing how they attack him.
But whatever happens next, Báez already owns a piece of baseball history that can't be taken away.
His first three Major League at-bats resulted in three home runs.
That's about as impressive an introduction to MLB as a player could possibly make.
What's Next for Joshua Báez?
Báez will now attempt to turn his historic debut into sustained production for St. Louis.
Expectations will naturally rise following such an explosive opening performance, but the Cardinals will likely be more interested in his long-term development than expecting three-home-run games every night.
Still, the baseball world will be watching his next few games closely.
Joshua Báez needed only three Major League plate appearances to make history.
Now the question becomes whether his incredible debut was simply an unforgettable moment — or the beginning of the Cardinals' next breakout star.
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