MiLB Player of the Day: Joshua Báez

The Cardinal Chronicle
Minor League Player of the Day: Joshua Báez
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Joshua Báez keeps giving Memphis the kind of swing that changes a game.

Báez is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Minor League Player of the Day after hitting his International League lead-tying 19th home run of the season Friday night in the Redbirds’ 10-2 win over the Norfolk Tides at Harbor Park.

The home run came in the second inning, and it did more than tie the game.

It opened the door.

Memphis had fallen behind early, but Báez led off the Redbirds’ scoring with a solo shot that tied the game and started another five-run inning for one of the hottest teams in Triple-A. From there, Memphis took control, added on throughout the night, and pushed its winning streak to five games.

By the end of the night, the Redbirds stood alone in first place in the International League.

That gives Báez’s swing a little more weight.

There were several strong performances across the Cardinals’ full-season affiliates Friday. Springfield scored 18 runs in a blowout win over Amarillo. Peoria beat first-place South Bend 3-1 behind strong pitching and timely hitting. Palm Beach lost a tight one despite a strong start from Brian Holiday.

But Báez gets the nod because his home run carried both individual and team significance.

Nineteen home runs.

Tied for the International League lead.

Memphis alone in first place.

That is a pretty strong case.

Báez has been one of the better power stories in the Cardinals’ system this season. The right-handed-hitting outfielder has long had the tools, but this year in Memphis, the production has become harder to ignore. Power is not everything, but power that shows up in meaningful moments tends to get noticed.

Friday was another example.

The Redbirds did not need one player to carry the entire night. Victor Scott II drove in two runs. Leo Bernal added an RBI double. Colton Ledbetter homered in his return to the lineup. Thomas Saggese added an RBI double in the ninth. The Memphis offense had contributions from several places.

Still, Báez was the one who got the night moving.

When a club is chasing a first-half title, those early swings matter. They change the dugout. They change the inning. They change how the other team has to pitch.

Báez supplied that swing Friday.

He is not just collecting home runs in quiet spots. He is helping Memphis win games that matter in the standings. That is the kind of production that separates a good stat line from a real player-development step forward.

Old School Take

There is still no substitute for a hitter who can change the game with one swing.

Joshua Báez did that Friday night.

His 19th home run tied him for the International League lead, helped start a five-run inning, and set Memphis on its way to another win.

Power gets attention.

Power that helps put your club alone in first place gets the headline.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.

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