Cardinals replace Nootbaar with Cesar Prieto

The 23-year-old now has 31 home runs and 77 RBI on the season. Yes, he’s hitting .244, and there is some swing-and-miss that will likely always be a part of his game, but he still has an .883 OPS on the year and has perhaps the best power/speed combination in the upper minors. It would make sense for the Cardinals to find a spot in the lineup for him, but it may not happen until after August 14, when they can retain his rookie eligibility for 2027.

Báez went deep for the first time since a two-homer explosion back on July 2. It was his 29th round-tripper of the year. The 23-year-old’s off-the-charts power/speed combination gives him a chance to be the most impactful fantasy prospect to receive the call to the majors in the second half. There are some lingering swing-and-miss issues that are probably the biggest reason why he’s still in the minors. He should have an immediate impact once he is promoted, which makes Báez a worthwhile stash candidate in all fantasy leagues.

Báez had a tremendous month of June, but the last two weeks have been a struggle. In 11 games from June 25th on, Báez has gone 5-for-44 with two doubles and two home runs. Obviously, the hits aren’t falling, and his 13/3 K/BB ratio over those 11 games isn’t ideal, but it’s also not egregious and shows he’s not being overmatched. He will likely get hot again, but there remains no real spot for him in the Cardinals’ lineup, so he’s probably not as much of a priority stash as he was three weeks ago.

Báez possesses stratospheric raw power potential, and while he’s made some strides recently in the contact department, he’s still struck out nearly 27 percent of the time since the start of June. He’s launched 10 homers during that 20-game sample size, which matters exponentially more. However, the persistent strikeout issues are probably the biggest reason why the Cardinals are having him continue his development on the doorstep of the majors as opposed to bringing him up and exposing him to big-league arms. His time is coming later this summer, and he projects as an immediate power/speed combo source, which makes Báez a worthwhile stash candidate in all fantasy leagues.

Báez now has 25 home runs and 64 RBI in 67 games this year. In June, he’s hitting .348/.377/.826 with nine home runs and 25 RBI. Yes, he has a 19/3 K/BB ratio in that span, but strikeouts are always going to be a part of his game. At this point, we’re not entirely sure what St. Louis needs to see from him in order to give him a shot.

Báez, who put together an unreal four-homer performance earlier this week, is arguably the most intriguing power/speed combo fantasy prospect on the doorstep of the majors, which makes him worthy of a speculative roster spot in all fantasy formats. The 22-year-old leads the entire International League with 24 round-trippers through 64 games. He’s also chipped in 12 stolen bases during that span. There are some lingering concerns in the contact department since he’s struck out nearly 31 percent of the time at the Triple-A level this season. Still, he offers enough fantasy-relevant skills that fantasy managers should be willing to overlook the contact issues. He figures to get his opportunity with the Cardinals at some point soon.

Báez put together an unbelievable fireworks display on the doorstep of the majors and leads the entire International League with 23 round-trippers through 62 games. He’s also chipped in 12 stolen bases, just for good measure. The 22-year-old top prospect has some serious contact concerns that threaten to cap his realistic power ceiling once he reaches the highest level, but there’s no denying his potential as an impactful power/speed combo fantasy contributor right away. He’s at least worthy of a speculative roster spot in fantasy formats on the chance that the Cardinals give him an opportunity in the near future.

The 22-year-old is now up to 18 home runs, 48 RBI, and a .937 OPS in 230 Triple-A at-bats this season. Lars Nootbaar’s return has clogged the Cardinals’ outfield a little, but Báez is certainly pushing for his opportunity.

It was a bit of a slow start to the season for Báez, but the 22-year-old hit .274/.347/.632 in 106 at-bats in May with 10 home runs, 24 RBI, and a 34/9 K/BB ratio. He’s now continued that pace with a four-hit game to begin June. Obviously, the strikeouts are a bit of a concern and will continue to be at the MLB level as well, but he has elite power and has also stolen 11 bases already this year. Even with a low batting average, he has the raw tools to provide fantasy managers with a huge boost in the second half of the season.

Prieto had just 17 plate appearances since being called up on May 4, and he did not record a single hit in that timespan. He’ll head back to Triple-A Memphis — where he was hitting .311/.357/.566 before being recalled — and try to get things back on track.