Prospect Check: Joshua Baez

[ClassicO]

My cautionary note above doesn’t mean I’m not super excited by Baez. I’ve been watching the games and I think he could play CF, although he’s only played 28 games there to-date in the minors, after being a CF in high school. He’s played CF 3 of 18 games at Springfield but that’s because Davis is playing there. I’d like to see him get more reps there with his speed and strong arm.
The Cards haven’t had a CF who can hit very well and play defense since Jimmy.

[Futuregm2]

My cautionary note above doesn’t mean I’m not super excited by Baez. I’ve been watching the games and I think he could play CF, although he’s only played 28 games there to-date in the minors, after being a CF in high school. He’s played CF 3 of 18 games at Springfield but that’s because Davis is playing there. I’d like to see him get more reps there with his speed and strong arm.
The Cards haven’t had a CF who can hit very well and play defense since Jimmy.

Obviously it would be tremendous if he could play CF, but even having him in LF isn’t the worst thing in the world. If Walker could figure it out, you’d have some massive strong armed corner OFers.

[Cranny]

My cautionary note above doesn’t mean I’m not super excited by Baez. I’ve been watching the games and I think he could play CF, although he’s only played 28 games there to-date in the minors, after being a CF in high school. He’s played CF 3 of 18 games at Springfield but that’s because Davis is playing there. I’d like to see him get more reps there with his speed and strong arm.
The Cards haven’t had a CF who can hit very well and play defense since Jimmy.

Scott is implanted there. Need corner outfielders who have some power.

[RunSup]

My cautionary note above doesn’t mean I’m not super excited by Baez. I’ve been watching the games and I think he could play CF, although he’s only played 28 games there to-date in the minors, after being a CF in high school. He’s played CF 3 of 18 games at Springfield but that’s because Davis is playing there. I’d like to see him get more reps there with his speed and strong arm.
The Cards haven’t had a CF who can hit very well and play defense since Jimmy.

Scott is implanted there. Need corner outfielders who have some power.

Need to be able to spell Scott in CF and give him a day off with somebody not named Barrero. Well there's always Siani looking over Barrero's shoulder.

If Baez can play a decent CF, even though his primary spot is in the corners, and bring a bat, that's perfect.

[Honky Tonk Man]

My cautionary note above doesn’t mean I’m not super excited by Baez. I’ve been watching the games and I think he could play CF, although he’s only played 28 games there to-date in the minors, after being a CF in high school. He’s played CF 3 of 18 games at Springfield but that’s because Davis is playing there. I’d like to see him get more reps there with his speed and strong arm.
The Cards haven’t had a CF who can hit very well and play defense since Jimmy.

Scott is implanted there. Need corner outfielders who have some power.

Why settle for Scott, too much settling is a lot of what is wrong now.

[ClassicO]

My cautionary note above doesn’t mean I’m not super excited by Baez. I’ve been watching the games and I think he could play CF, although he’s only played 28 games there to-date in the minors, after being a CF in high school. He’s played CF 3 of 18 games at Springfield but that’s because Davis is playing there. I’d like to see him get more reps there with his speed and strong arm.
The Cards haven’t had a CF who can hit very well and play defense since Jimmy.

Scott is implanted there. Need corner outfielders who have some power.

Need to be able to spell Scott in CF and give him a day off with somebody not named Barrero. Well there's always Siani looking over Barrero's shoulder.

If Baez can play a decent CF, even though his primary spot is in the corners, and bring a bat, that's perfect.

VSII is a very good defensive player with speed in the bases - but I doubt he’ll ever be on the bases often. He hasn’t hit well at any level: college, minors or MLB - so he’s better off as a defensive backup and pinch runner.

[Futuregm2]

My cautionary note above doesn’t mean I’m not super excited by Baez. I’ve been watching the games and I think he could play CF, although he’s only played 28 games there to-date in the minors, after being a CF in high school. He’s played CF 3 of 18 games at Springfield but that’s because Davis is playing there. I’d like to see him get more reps there with his speed and strong arm.
The Cards haven’t had a CF who can hit very well and play defense since Jimmy.

Scott is implanted there. Need corner outfielders who have some power.

Need to be able to spell Scott in CF and give him a day off with somebody not named Barrero. Well there's always Siani looking over Barrero's shoulder.

If Baez can play a decent CF, even though his primary spot is in the corners, and bring a bat, that's perfect.

VSII is a very good defensive player with speed in the bases - but I doubt he’ll ever be on the bases often. He hasn’t hit well at any level: college, minors or MLB - so he’s better off as a defensive backup and pinch runner.

He hit .303/.369/.425 in 2023.

And while he hasn’t exactly been great this year, he has a .325 OBP which for his speed and defense should be enough to make him a good player. I’d like to see his SLG% get into the .370-.390 range though.

[ClassicO]

My cautionary note above doesn’t mean I’m not super excited by Baez. I’ve been watching the games and I think he could play CF, although he’s only played 28 games there to-date in the minors, after being a CF in high school. He’s played CF 3 of 18 games at Springfield but that’s because Davis is playing there. I’d like to see him get more reps there with his speed and strong arm.
The Cards haven’t had a CF who can hit very well and play defense since Jimmy.

Scott is implanted there. Need corner outfielders who have some power.

Need to be able to spell Scott in CF and give him a day off with somebody not named Barrero. Well there's always Siani looking over Barrero's shoulder.

If Baez can play a decent CF, even though his primary spot is in the corners, and bring a bat, that's perfect.

VSII is a very good defensive player with speed in the bases - but I doubt he’ll ever be on the bases often. He hasn’t hit well at any level: college, minors or MLB - so he’s better off as a defensive backup and pinch runner.

He hit .303/.369/.425 in 2023.

And while he hasn’t exactly been great this year, he has a .325 OBP which for his speed and defense should be enough to make him a good player. I’d like to see his SLG% get into the .370-.390 range though.

I’d be overjoyed - but shocked - if he could get to a .320 OBP and .370-.390 slugging, but history (below) doesn’t seem to indicate this will happen.

I do stand corrected. He hit well in 2023 split b/w high A and AA.
He followed that with a .210/.294/.303/.597 slash at AAA. His first partial year in the bigs was worse (.179/.219/.283/.502).

But expecting a .370 or better slugging would seem to require something quite different than the norm (where MLB stats are almost always a tier lower than minors and college).

MLB - — 2 yrs - .215/.285/.309/.593
Minors - 3 yrs - .264/.344/.381/.725
College- 3 yrs - .254/.368/.419/.787

This team needs a significant infusion of offense, and can’t afford this in CF full-time.

[Basil Shabazz]

He hit .303/.369/.425 in 2023.

And while he hasn’t exactly been great this year, he has a .325 OBP which for his speed and defense should be enough to make him a good player. I’d like to see his SLG% get into the .370-.390 range though.
[/quote]

I’d be overjoyed - but shocked - if he could get to a .320 OBP and .370-.390 slugging, but history (below) doesn’t seem to indicate this will happen.

I do stand corrected. He hit well in 2023 split b/w high A and AA.
He followed that with a .210/.294/.303/.597 slash at AAA. His first partial year in the bigs was worse (.179/.219/.283/.502).

But expecting a .370 or better slugging would seem to require something quite different than the norm (where MLB stats are almost always a tier lower than minors and college).

MLB - — 2 yrs - .215/.285/.309/.593
Minors - 3 yrs - .264/.344/.381/.725
College- 3 yrs - .254/.368/.419/.787

This team needs a significant infusion of offense, and can’t afford this in CF full-time.
[/quote]

They also cannot afford Noot's defense in CF. Or Noot's lack of offense, for that matter.