It’s rare to see one massive, powerful right-handed bat patrolling the outfield in the Major Leagues. Having two on the same team is something else entirely.
That is exactly what the St. Louis Cardinals have with Jordan Walker and Joshua Báez, and if their recent performances are any indication, the young duo could become a major problem for opposing teams.
Walker, listed at 6-foot-6, has a slight height advantage over the 6-foot-3 Báez, but both bring imposing frames and an unusual combination of power and speed that makes them look almost like characters created in a baseball video game. Báez just made MLB history by becoming the first player ever to homer in each of his first three career at-bats, while Walker recently delivered one of the most memorable Home Run Derby victories in recent memory.
That combination of elite physical tools, determination and work ethic is a major reason the Cardinals continued to believe in both players despite outside doubts about whether they could reach their potential.
Walker’s struggles became more noticeable after reaching the Major Leagues. He battled defensive inconsistencies, struck out too frequently and struggled to consistently elevate the ball enough to turn his elite exit velocities into production. Báez faced a different challenge, struggling to make enough contact in the Minors to unlock the immense power scouts knew he possessed.
But both young stars have shown the resilience needed to make their upside increasingly difficult to ignore.
Walker, 24, spent the past year rebuilding his game and refining his approach. By the end of Spring Training, the Cardinals were beginning to see everything click, and once the regular season arrived, Walker started looking more like the potential superstar the organization envisioned when he debuted in 2023.
Báez, 23, took a different route. After spending four weeks on the Development List in August 2024, he spent that offseason working extensively with the Cardinals’ player development staff. The results were dramatic. He emerged in 2025 looking like an entirely different prospect.
Entering that season, Báez was not even ranked among the Cardinals’ Top 30 Prospects by MLB Pipeline. By the end of the year, he had climbed into the Top 100 prospects in baseball, debuting at No. 59.
Their power numbers this season have been impossible to overlook. Walker’s 24 home runs rank tied for 21st in MLB, while Báez had already led all of Triple-A with 34 homers before his historic three-homer Major League debut.
That type of right-handed power is especially valuable in today’s game. Walker ranks eighth among right-handed hitters in home runs, while only two right-handed hitters, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero and Colorado’s Hunter Goodman, have surpassed 30.
MLB summed up the excitement surrounding the pair perfectly: “Two massive right-handed bats on one team? That’s the dream.”
At the top of the Cardinals’ lineup, Walker and Báez also have the ideal pieces around them to maximize their impact. With both capable of doing serious damage against left-handed pitching, manager Oliver Marmol could benefit from placing left-handed hitter Alec Burleson directly in front of or between them. Burleson’s .989 OPS against right-handed pitchers ranks third-best in baseball.
Ahead of that trio are JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera, two hitters who can become dangerous on-base threats when playing at their best.
Báez will likely need time to adjust, as almost every rookie does. Following his historic debut, he went 0-for-5 and recorded the first three strikeouts of his career. There is no reason for panic, but the performance serves as a reminder that he is still a young hitter who has spent years working to overcome swing-and-miss concerns.
Even so, Walker and Báez have already delivered moments this season that will be remembered in baseball history. If those performances are a preview of what is ahead, Cardinals fans could be watching the beginning of something special.