The St. Louis Cardinals’ 2018 second-round pick has likely earned a spot in the Opening Day lineup after a red-hot Spring Training. Luken Baker has spent six seasons in the Cardinals’ minor league system. He has had stints with the big league club twice over the past two years, seeing at-bats in 54 games. It looks like 2025 will be the first time the 28-year-old will start the season at the major league level.
Luken Baker Looks To Have Earned Spot in Cardinals Lineup
A Red-Hot Spring Training
Baker has been on fire in spring training so far this year. In 16 games, he has swatted four home runs. He is slashing .289/.391/.605 with a .997 OPS. He has a 1:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio with seven of each. His performance allowed him to outlast the Cardinals’ top two batting prospects JJ Wetherholt and Thomas Saggese in the big league camp.
Luken Baker, who has likely slugged his way onto the #STLCards Opening Day roster with four HRs this Spring, hit an absolute rocket over the left field wall. He hit this 2-0 pitch 417 feet and it left the bat at 111.5 mph. pic.twitter.com/lNw1fZbTKf
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) March 16, 2025
A lot of his improvement is credited to an increase in bat speed. MLB.com reported that his bat speed has been tracked at 79 miles per hour this spring. Though it’s a small sample size due to the low number of spring training ballparks set up to track that, it’s an eye-popping number. 79 mph would have been second among all qualified MLB batters in 2024 behind only Giancarlo Stanton.
“The combination of adding bat speed, hitting for power and controlling the strike zone — I feel good about him being right on right, right on left at-bat,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol told MLB.com’s John Denton. “Whatever it is, I feel comfortable with Baker taking that at-bat.”
Memphis Home Run King
Baker has enjoyed a successful minor-league career. He is the all-time leader in home runs for the Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate. He has hit 86 home runs in Triple-A. He’s slashed .259/.351/.528 in four Triple-A seasons. The problem for Baker has been when he gets to the majors and isn’t playing every day.
“It was a tough transition and it was the first time in my life I had really not played baseball,” Baker said last year about his first MLB stint before being called up for his second. “I think I let that get in my head a little bit. Trying to do too much and prove that I’m supposed to be there.”
Baker struggled in 2024 with his batting average when he got 21 games with the Cardinals. His batting average was just .175. However, his slugging was there, turning four of his seven hits for extra bases, including two home runs. If Baker can improve his average and keep his slugging high, he will be a potent option for the Cardinals off the bench or as a DH.
Baker’s Potential Role with the Cardinals
Baker is primarily a first baseman. He is not likely to see many games at first base, though, as Willson Contreras has switched to that position full time and Alec Burleson will likely be there when Wilson is not. Baker will likely get some games as DH, but will have to compete for starts there with Contreras, Burleson, and Nolan Gorman as well.
The way Luken Baker will make an impact for the Cardinals is as a pinch hitter. He will probably be the Cardinals’ go-to bat off the bench to start the season. With his potential to hit it out of the park every time he steps in the batter’s box, he is a weapon the Cardinals have been missing on their bench the past couple of years.
Baker has now had multiple opportunities to figure out what doesn’t work for him at the major league level. He’s told reporters he’s overthought his approach at times, watching too much film of himself and getting in his own head. This time, he has a different approach: just play ball when called upon.
“I’m just trying to keep my focus on helping the team win ballgames,” Baker told Denton.
The range of outcomes for Baker is wide in 2025. He could stay as the pinch-hit specialist all season, he could struggle and go back to Memphis, or he could play his way into the lineup with regularity. Either way, Baker’s getting a chance to prove himself early in the season.
Photo Credit: © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The post Longtime Minor Leaguer Luken Baker Has Likely Earned Spot in Cardinals Lineup appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.