'I guess someone had a good offseason': How Baker is turning heads in camp

JUPITER, Fla. -- When informed that only two MLB players have increased their bat speed more from the 2024 season to a limited sample from this spring, Cardinals first baseman/designated hitter Luken Baker flashed a knowing, but mischievous smile and playfully cracked, “Hmmm, I guess someone had a good offseason.”

Baker, all 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds of him, made improving his bat speed a point of emphasis this offseason and so far, the results -- and the impressive production stemming from the changes -- are promising for a Cardinals club in desperate need of more slugging in the season ahead.

Only one stadium in Florida’s Grapefruit League -- Steinbrenner Field in Tampa -- is wired to register the speed of swings, but that data confirmed what the Cardinals have seen throughout Spring Training from the 28-year-old Baker: He’s swinging the bat harder than ever and the quality of his contact has improved greatly. That small sample size showed Baker swinging the bat at 79 mph -- up 5.1 mph over his 73.9 mph swing in 2024.

To put that into perspective, Baker’s bat average speed this spring would have led the Cardinals in 2024 (ahead of Jordan Walker’s 77.3 mph) and it would have ranked second in MLB behind only Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton (81.2 mph). Why that improved bat speed matters for Baker can be witnessed in his team-best three home runs and a much-improved .304 batting average this spring.

Blocked at first base by Alec Burleson, and behind Contreras and Burleson in the pecking order for at-bats as a designated hitter, Baker is looking for any way possible to break into St. Louis’ lineup. Finally, after six seasons in the Minor Leagues -- including the somewhat dubious distinction of being Triple-A Memphis’ all-time home run king -- Baker might have finally found the formula to grab the attention of the Cardinals. The question now is whether his better bat speed can lead to sustained success in the big leagues as a pinch-hitter or an occasional designated hitter?

“He did well with [making it a point of emphasis] and he’s showing it,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “It goes hand in hand with [how he’s performing this spring]. He’ll tell you also that he is seeing it better. 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. Whatever it is, I feel comfortable with Baker taking that at-bat.

“He’s made some really good strides. He’s shown what he’s capable of in a Triple-A setting and each time with us, he showed the ability to slow the game down a little bit more. It's been a really good camp for him.”

Baker made his MLB debut in 2023 when he got into 33 games, but he started 2024 at Triple-A again. Last season, he was in the big leagues for 21 games, and he showed the Cardinals that he can be more than just a slugger. Not only did he have three hits as a pinch-hitter, but Baker hit .400 (6-for-15) with two homers and 10 RBIs with runners in scoring position.

Though he’s likely already earned his way onto the Opening Day roster, Baker has learned his lesson in the past about trying to play the roster game.

“Every time I've tried to play GM, I've been wrong,” said Baker, half-seriously and half-jokingly. “So, I’m just trying to keep my focus on helping the team win ballgames.”

Baker can likely be of the most help to the Cardinals by being a feared slugger from the right side off the bench. With veterans Matt Carpenter and Brandon Crawford on the roster in 2024, St. Louis had far more left-handed options than right-handed options as pinch-hitters.

Baker has learned (often the hard way) that there is a specific routine that works best for him when he is called upon to hit. Too much thinking, too much video analysis or too much swinging in the batting cage just behind the dugout can be counterproductive, Baker knows now.

“[DH] is a position and if you let it get in your head, it will,” said Baker, who walked in a pinch-hit opportunity in the Cardinals’ 2-0 loss to the Mets on Wednesday. “Honestly, the less I dive into my at-bats, the better. I [watched video] a lot the first time I started DH-ing, and the video never really helped me. So, the less video I watch of myself, the better.”