Joshua Báez, a 23-year-old rookie for the St. Louis Cardinals, made history on August 15, 2026, by hitting home runs in each of his first three Major League Baseball career at-bats. The Cardinals defeated the Chicago Cubs 8-4 at Wrigley Field, with Báez driving in 5 runs during his four at-bats, which included 3 home runs and 3 hits overall [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].

Báez launched his first MLB home run on the very first pitch he ever saw in the majors: a 93.4 mph four-seam fastball that traveled approximately 449 feet to center field. Manager Oli Marmol marveled at the moment, saying, "The confidence on his face said 'I'm here'" after the first homer, adding that the second and third homers were "just unbelievable" [1, 5].

His second home run came in the fourth inning on a full-count changeup hit to left field for a solo shot. Báez's historic third home run arrived in the sixth inning on an 83 mph slider that sailed to right field, making him the first player ever to homer in each of his first three at-bats in MLB history [1, 2, 4, 6].

Báez's fourth at-bat ended with a flyout to left field, concluding his debut performance at four plate appearances. Approximately 30 of Báez's family and friends were present to witness the historic game, adding emotional significance to his day [1, 2, 7].

Born in Boston, Báez moved to the Dominican Republic shortly after birth and returned to the U.S. at age 11. He faced language barriers and bullying but found a sense of belonging through baseball, which he described simply as "just playing baseball" [8, 9].

Drafted in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft with the 54th overall pick, Báez spent five years in the minors developing his skills. In 103 AAA games this season before his debut, he recorded 34 home runs with a .256 batting average and a .901 OPS, showing notable power and improving strikeout tendencies [3, 4, 5, 8].

Báez’s father, José Manuel Báez, passed away three years ago. Báez said fulfilling his father’s dream of playing in the majors was a key motivation and believed his spirit was present during the game. He recounted how a bee repeatedly flew near him during the game and interpreted the insect as a sign from his father, saying, "I know he must be very proud, and today his spirit is here with me" [1, 4, 7].

The Cardinals will look to continue their season momentum, with Báez expected to remain in the lineup as they prepare for their next series.