Selected by Chicago (NL) in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Arlington Country Day School (FL)...Signed by the Tigers as a free agent on December 1, 2021...The 2023 season will mark Báez’s 13th professional season and his second with the Tigers...also marks the second year of a six-year contract he signed with Detroit on Dec. 1, 2021... Selected to the National League All-Star Team twice, starting at second base in 2018 and shortstop in 2019...became the first player in MLB history to start at second base and shortstop in consecutive seasons...participated in the Home Run Derby in 2018... Earned his first career Rawlings Gold Glove Award as a shortstop in 2020... Won the National League Silver Slugger Award for second basemen in 2018 and finished second in voting for the NL Most Valuable Player Award that season... Earned Co-MVP honors in the 2016 NLCS after going 7x23 with four doubles and five RBI...for his career has played in 36 postseason games... Named NL Player of the Week for the week ending July 1, 2018... Represented Puerto Rico during the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classic... Played for the World Team in the 2014 MLB Futures Game at Target Field in Minneapolis...hit a two-run home run in the game.
2022
Completed his first season with the Tigers in 2022, playing in 144 games....Recorded a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth on Opening Day against the White Sox...marked his sixth career game-ending hit (last, July 26, 2021 vs. Cincinnati)... also became the first player to have a walk-off hit in his Tigers debut since Alex Gonzalez in 2014... Hit his first home run as a Tiger and the 150th of his career on April 11 vs. Boston, a go-ahead, two-run shot in the eighth inning....Sidelined from April 16 (retroactive to April 13)-24 with a right thumb sprain....Drove in a season-high four runs on April 26 at Minnesota, going 2x3 with a three-run homer and a RBI double...marked his 14th career game with four-or-more RBI... Reached base four times on June 11 vs. Toronto, going 1x1 with three walks, the first time he’s drawn three unintentional walks in a game in his career....Had a pair of stolen bases on June 19 vs. Texas...also notched a multi-stolen base game on Aug. 16 at Cleveland... Posted his first three-hit game of the season on June 21 at Boston, finishing a double shy of the cycle, going 3x5 with a triple, a home run and a RBI... Launched the seventh grand slam of his career on June 24 at Arizona...the home run traveled 459 feet, the longest by a Tigers player during the season...homered in three straight games from June 21-24, joining Carlos Guillen and Dick McAuliffe as the only three Tigers shortstops to go deep in three consecutive games... Voted Tigers Player of the Month for June, hitting .256/.295/.512 with five doubles, two triples, four home runs and 12 RBI...led all Tigers with 0.7 fWAR in the month and ranked second with a 132 wRC+....Drove in the 500th run of his big league career on July 13 at Kansas City....Had a go-ahead RBI single in the 10th inning on September 6 at Los Angeles (AL)...was the eighth go-ahead hit in extra innings in his career....Played in the 1,000th game of his Major League career on Sept. 28 vs. Kansas City....Voted Tigers Player of the Month for September, hitting .310/.337/.530 with three doubles, two triples, five home runs and 16 RBI.
2021
The 2022 season will mark Báez’s 12th professional season and his first with the Tigers...also marks the first year of a six-year contract he signed with Detroit on Dec. 1, 2021....Selected to the National League All-Star Team twice, starting at second base in 2018 and shortstop in 2019...became the first player in MLB history to start at second base and shortstop in consecutive seasons...participated in the Home Run Derby in 2018....Earned his first career Rawlings Gold Glove Award as a shortstop in 2020....Won the National League Silver Slugger Award for second basemen in 2018 and finished second in voting for the NL Most Valuable Player Award that season....Earned Co-MVP honors in the 2016 NLCS after going 7-for-23 with four doubles and five RBI...for his career has played in 36 postseason games....Named NL Player of the Week for the week ending July 1, 2018....Represented Puerto Rico during the 2017 World Baseball Classic....Played for the World Team in the 2014 MLB Futures Game at Target Field in Minneapolis...hit a two-run home run in the game.
2020
Javy batted .203 (45-for-222) with nine doubles, eight homers and 24 RBI in 59 games...his 59 games tied for the most on the team with Kyle Schwarber...recorded two multi-homer games...Had nine multi-hit games, including three three-hit contests...Hit .245 (25-for-102) with six doubles and six homers in 26 road games...batted just .167 (20-for-120) with two homers in 33 home contests...Fared well in interleague play, hitting .289 (22-for-76) with four homers in 20 games...Went 3-for-5 with a double, two homers, three runs and three RBI, July 28 at Cincinnati...Went 3-for-5 with two homers, two runs scored and three RBI, August 24 at Detroit...became just the fourth Cubs shortstop since 1901 to record multiple games with at least nine total bases in a season, joining Roy Smalley (in 1950), Ernie Banks (done five times) and Starlin Castro (2014)...Had two walk-off RBI...hit a walk-off single in the 11th inning, August 2 vs. Pittsburgh...hit another walk-off single in the 10th inning, September 16 vs. Cleveland.
2019
Javier was named to his second-straight All-Star Game, elected as starting shortstop for the N.L....had just one at-bat following a hairline fracture in his left thumb, suffered September 1...posted a .281 average (149-for-531) with 38 doubles, 29 homers, 85 RBI, 11 stolen bases and an .847 OPS in 138 games...At the time of his injury on September 1, ranked second in the N.L. with 38 doubles and was tied for sixth in the N.L. with 71 extra-base hits and 12 game-winning RBI...Despite missing the majority of the season's final month, still led the Cubs with 45 multi-hit games...Had a team-best .333 (38-for-114) average with runners in scoring position, including a .408 mark (20-for-49) with RISP and two outs...Hit .309 (81-for-262) with 15 homers at Wrigley Field and batted .253 (68-for-269) with 14 homers on the road...Recorded a .973 fielding percentage (15 E/546 TC) in 129 games at shortstop...committed just two errors in his final 38 games in the field (153 TC) from July 20-September 1....Left the May 19 game at the Nationals with a right heel bruise, something he would play through the rest of the season...was hitting .319 (59-for-185) with a .953 OPS in his first 44 games through May 19...batted .260 (90-for-346) with a .789 OPS in his final 94 games...Homered twice on Opening Day in Texas, becoming the seventh Cub ever to hit multiple homers in the team's first game, and the first since CoreyPatterson in 2003...Became just the fifth Cubs shortstop to homer on Opening Day, the first since Rey Sanchez, April 1, 1996 vs. San Diego...Finished the season-opening three-game series in Texas with six hits, five runs, two homers, six RBI and two stolen bases, becoming just the third Cub in the last 100 years to collect those totals in a three-game series...joined Joe Marty in 1937 against the Phillies and Andre Dawson in 1987 against Houston...Recorded three-straight three-hit games, April 13-16, going 9-for-14 with four doubles and one home run...went 3-for-5 with a career-high three doubles and two RBI, April 13 vs. the Angels...Recorded his 500th career hit, April 17 in Miami...Hit nine homers in March/April, the second-most by a Cub before May, surpassed only by Alfonso Soriano's 10 homers prior to May in 2011...Hit safely in a career-high 15-straight games (.381/24-for-63), May 1-17, the longest streak by a Cub in 2019...Came off the bench to record a pinch-hit, walk-off RBI single, May 21 vs. Philadelphia...was his second-career walk-off RBI...Notched his 100th-career homer, June 23 vs. the Mets, a game-winning three-run shot in the bottom of the eighth, lifting the Cubs to a 5-3 win...Hit his fifth-career grand slam, June 29 at Cincinnati...Recorded his sixth-career multi-homer game, August 5 vs. Oakland...was the fifth anniversary of his major league debut, August 5, 2014 at Colorado.
2018
Javier was named the starting second baseman for the N.L. All-Star Team and enjoyed a breakout campaign in which he led the National League with 111 RBI and led the team with 40 doubles, nine triples and 34 homers ... Was the first Cub to be the N.L. RBI champ since Sammy Sosa had 160 RBI in 2001 ... Finished second in the N.L. Most Valuable Player Award voting by the BBWAA ... Became the first player in franchise history to reach 40 doubles, 30 homers and 20 stolen bases in the same season ... became the first player in major league history to reach 40 doubles, nine triples, 34 homers, 111 RBI and 21 stolen bases in a single season ... Ranked among N.L. players in total bases (336, 3rd), extra-base hits (83, 2nd), runs scored (101, 8th), doubles (40, t-6th), triples (9, t-2nd), homers (34, t-7th), slugging (.554, 4th) and games played (160, t-8th) ... Became just the fifth Cub to record a 30-homer, 100-RBI campaign before or in their age 25 season, joining Ernie Banks (1955), Kris Bryant (2016), Anthony Rizzo (2015) and Ron Santo (1964, 1965) ... Became the first Cub with at least 20 homers and 20 steals since Corey Patterson in 2014 ... Became just the fourth Cubs middle infielder to reach the 30-homer mark, joining Rogers Hornsby in 1929, Ernie Banks (five times from 1955 and 1957-60) and Ryne Sandberg (twice in 1989-90) ... Became only the third middle infielder in club history to reach 111 RBI, the first since Ernie Banks drove in 117 runs in 1960 ... Led the team with 21 stolen bases, the most by a Cub since Tony Campana (30) and Starlin Castro (25) in 2012 ... Became the first second baseman in franchise history to record consecutive multi-homer games, April 10-11 vs. Pittsburgh … in fact, was the first player to turn the trick while manning a middle infield position for the Cubs ... Was the first Cub to record consecutive multi-homer efforts since Alfonso Soriano, May 16-17, 2008 vs. the Pirates ... Hit a game-tying three-run double in the midst of a nine-run rally in the eighth inning of the Cubs' 14-10 come-from-behind victory over Atlanta on April 14 ... finished the game with four RBI, the second of five games this season in which he finished with at least four RBI ... Had a career-high 11-game hitting streak, April 14-28 ... batted .400 (20-for-50) with seven doubles, three homers and 16 RBI during the stretch ... Reached 25 RBI prior to May 1, just the third Cub to do so in franchise history (Billy Williams had 25 RBI in 1970 and Derrek Lee had 28 RBI in 2005) ... May 7 vs. Miami, he belted his 10th homer of the season, reaching the mark in the team's 32nd game … that's the fewest amount of team games for any second baseman to reach the 10-homer mark in franchise history … in fact, the only Cubs middle infielder to reach 10 homers in fewer team games is Ernie Banks (10 in first 30 games in 1956) ... Stole home June 3 at the Mets, his third-career steal of home (second in the regular season) ... Went 4-for-5 with a double, two homers, including a grand slam, and five RBI, June 26 at the Dodgers ... also had a five-RBI game July 14 at San Diego ... Participated in the MLB Home Run Derby, July 16 at Nationals Park ... hit 16 homers in the first round, but fell victim to Max Muncy's 17 homers ... went 1-for-3 in the All-Star Game the following night ... was the leadoff hitter for the N.L. squad ... Hit his 25th homer of the season in his 110th game, August 5 in Kansas City ... became the third-fastest Cubs second baseman to 25 homers in a season, surpassed only by Ryne Sandberg in 1990 (92 games) and Rogers Hornsby in 1929 (106 games).
2017
Javier set career marks with 24 doubles, 23 homers and 75 RBI in 145 games for Chicago, batting .273 (128- for-469) with a .796 OPS ... made his first Opening Day 25-man roster after starting 2016 on the disabled list... Hit .315 (39-for-124) with nine homers against lefties and .258 (89-for-345) with 14 homers against righties... His .291 average (66-for-227) in the season's second half was 35 points higher than his .256 average (62-for242) in the first half ... his .851 OPS following the All-Star break was over 100 points higher than his .745 OPS in the first half... Batted .308 (64-for-208) with runners on base ... had a .307 average (51-for-166) in the seventh inning or later... Posted a .415 average (22-for-53) with a 1.162 OPS when putting the first pitch in play... Played 80 games at second base (56 starts), 73 games at shortstop (67 starts), eight games (four starts) at third base, four games at first base, and one game in right field ... all told, produced a .972 fielding percentage (15 E/528 TC)... Started at shortstop in 30-straight games from August 3-September 3, and in 40 of the team's 41 games from August 3 through September 15, while Addison Russell was on the disabled list... Had a career day, May 2 vs. the Phillies, going 4-for-4 with a triple, homer, two runs and three RBI … the four hits tied a career high. w Became the first Cubs player with four hits out of the No. 9 spot in the order at Wrigley Field since pitcher Don Cardwell on June 30, 1960 vs. the Milwaukee Braves … credit to NBC Sports Chicago's Chris Kamka... Belted his third career grand slam, May 18 vs. the Reds, off Amir Garrett ... finished the contest 3-for-3 with the slam, two runs, a walk and a season-high five RBI... Hit .291 (25-for-86) with 14 runs, seven homers and 18 RBI in 25 May contests... Recorded a career-high eight-game hitting streak, June 18-26 ... batted .419 (13-for-31) with five doubles and four RBI during the run... Tied his career high with two doubles, July 2 against Cincinnati... Hit his first-career inside-the-park home run, August 7 in San Francisco... Stole a career-high two bases, August 30 vs. Pittsburgh, including the team's first straight steal of home since Starlin Castro did so, July 15, 2010 vs. Philadelphia... Enjoyed a torrid August, batting .290 (31-for-107) with seven homers, 21 runs scored, 25 RBI and a .862 OPS in 28 games … the 25 RBI were his most in a month... Left the game, September 3 vs. Atlanta, after colliding with Dansby Swanson while sliding into second base ... missed one game before returning, September 5 at Pittsburgh... Tied his career mark with four hits, September 13 vs. the Mets, his fourth-career four-hit game ... his three runs scored also tied a career best... Batted just .077 (2-for-26) in 10 postseason games, but went 2-for-3 with two solo homers in NLCS Game Four vs. the Dodgers ... became the fifth player in Cubs history with a multi-homer game in the postseason.
2016
Javier played 142 games for Chicago, hitting .273 with a career-high 14 homers while adding 19 doubles and 59 RBI ... became just the fourth Cubs player since 1913 with at least 20 starts at 2B, 3B and SS, joining Rollie Zeider (1917), Sparky Adams (1927) and Jose Vizcaino (1993) ... swiped 12 bases, second-most on the Cubs...Notched a batting average of .296 (60-for-203) at Wrigley Field, compared to a .252 mark (55-for-218) on the road ... his .383 batting average (18-for-47) on the first pitch was tops on the club (min. 30 AB)...Registered 29 multi-hit games, sixth-most on the Cubs ... Chicago was 25-4 in those games ... 14 of his multi-hit contests were at Wrigley Field and the Cubs were undefeated in those contests...Had a 24.0 percent strikeout rate, down from a 30.0 percent rate in 2015 and a 41.5 percent mark in 2014...Became the first Cub since Mark DeRosa in 2008 to see time at first base, second base, third base, shortstop and left field during a season. According to Fangraphs, had a combined 16 defensive runs saved between all five positions ... ranked third among major league second basemen with 11 defensive runs saved, despite accumulating about 900 fewer innings than the leaders ... since the DRS statistic was developed in 2002, only one second baseman has ever accumulated at least 11 runs in fewer innings (Ryan Goins in 2013, 12 DRS in 262.1 innings)...Hit his first career walk-off homer in the 13th inning, May 8 vs. Washington (Mother's Day) ... also connected on a home run, June 19 vs. Pittsburgh (Father's Day) ... became the first Cubs batter to hit a home run on both Mother's Day and Father's Day since Jose Cardenal in 1973. Crushed a 15th-inning grand slam, June 28 at Cincinnati, the first of his career ... the grand slam was the latest by inning in Cubs franchise history, edging out a 14th-inning grand slam by Cliff Johnson in 1980 in a suspended game against Montreal...Had a career-high seven-game hitting streak (.423/11-for-26), July 9-20, in which he had four-multi hit games, two doubles and four RBI...His .325 batting average (27-for-83) in July was tops on the Cubs...Notched his first two career four-hit games: June 8 at Philadelphia and August 29 vs. Pittsburgh...Collected a career-high six RBI, including his second-career grand slam, September 26 at Pittsburgh...Was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left thumb contusion, April 3 (retroactive to March 25) ... played in four rehab games with Iowa, hitting .267 (4-for-15) with a homer and a stolen base ... was activated, April 15, and registered hits in his first three games of the season...Started every postseason game for the Cubs at second base, batting .265 (18-for-68) with four doubles and two homers while knocking in eight runs...Belted a game-winning homer in the eighth inning of Chicago's 1-0 win in Game One of the NLDS vs. the Giants ... became the 12th player to homer in a 1-0 post-season game, and just the third to do so in the team's final at-bat (per Elias). w Joined the Yankees Tommy Henrich in the first game of the 1949 World Series vs. the Dodgers and the Indians Tony Fernandez in the clinching game of the 1997 ALCS against the Orioles...Named co-MVP of the NLCS after batting .318 (7-for-22) with three runs, four doubles, five RBI and an .833 OPS in six games. w Stole home in the second inning of Game One, becoming just the second Cub to turn that trick in postseason play, and the first in 109 years since Jimmy Slagle in game four of the 1907 World Series vs. Detroit. w Tied the club record for the longest hitting streak to open a postseason at six games, joining Moises Alou (2003) and Mickey Livingston (1945)...Hit a solo homer in Game Seven of the World Series, extending the Cubs lead to 4-1.
2015
Javier Baez was recalled by Chicago on September 1 and batted .289 (22-for-76) with six doubles and one homer in 28 games ... with Triple-A Iowa, hit .324 (91-for-281) with 14 doubles, two triples, 13 homers, 61 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 70 games. Hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the second inning of Game Four of the NLDS vs. the Cardinals ... went on to hit .333 (5-for-15) with a homer, three RBI and two steals in six post-season games. Played 17 games (five starts) at second base, eight games (five starts) at shortstop, 11 games (six starts) games at third base and one game at first base ... committed just two errors in 76 chances (.974 fielding percentage). Collected three-straight multi-hit games, September 8-11, going 6-for-12 with two doubles and two runs scored. Batted .421 (8-for-19) with four doubles off lefties compared to .246 (14-for-57) with two doubles and one homer off righties. Hit .341 (15-for-44) in 16 games on the road compared to .219 (7-for-32) in 12 games at Wrigley Field. Was 11-for-22 (.500) when seeing a pitcher for the second and third time in a game compared to .204 (11-for-54) the first time at-bat. Had a season-high three hits, September 4 vs. Arizona ... hit his first homer of the season ... collected two hits in the fifth inning, the first Cubs player in the last three seasons to accomplish the feat. Struck out 24 times in 80 plate appearances (30.0%) after striking out 95 times in 229 plate appearances (41.5%) in 2014. With Iowa, turned in a .385 on-base percentage and .527 slugging percentage, good for a .912 OPS ... hit safely in his last 16 games prior to his promotion. Suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left ring finger, June 7 vs. Memphis, sliding into second base on a stolen base attempt ... was on Iowa's disabled list until July 28. Batted .250 (13-for-52) with two homers and 10 RBI in 15 games for Santurce in the Puerto Rican Winter League ... saw time at second base, shortstop and center field (four games).
2014
Javier, the ninth selection in the 2011 draft, made his major league debut when he was selected by Chicago, August 5 ...His nine home runs in 52 games ranked tied for fourth among N.L. rookies ...Delivered a two-run homer for the World Team in the Futures Game in Minnesota, July 13...Batted .169 (36-for-213) with six doubles, nine homers and 20 RBI ...Drew 15 walks and struck out 95 times...Played 30 games (27 starts) at shortstop and made 25 starts at second base ... turned 40 double plays in 52 games...Made his major league debut, August 5 in Colorado, and hit a game-winning solo home run in the 12th inning to break a 5-5 tie...Became the first player in franchise history to hit an extra-inning home run in his big league debut, and the first player in the majors to hit a go-ahead homer in the 12th inning or later in his debut since Minnesota's Kent Hrbek on August 24, 1981 at Yankee Stadium...Became the fourth major league player to hit a go-ahead home run in extra innings in his big league debut, joining Florida's Miguel Cabrera (2003), Hrbek and California's Billy Parker (1971)...Hit two home runs, August 7 in Colorado, recording his first multi-homer effort in just his third career game...Along with his homer in his first career game two nights earlier, became the first Cub ever to hit three long balls in his first three career games...Became just the second player since 1900 to turn the trick, joining St. Louis' Joe Cunningham in 1954 ...Teammate Jorge Soler would add his name to this list later in the month...Went deep in consecutive games, August 22-23 vs. Baltimore ...Again homered in twostraight games, September 12-13 at Pittsburgh...Began the season at Triple-A Iowa, his first time at that level ... hit .260 (101-for-388) with 24 doubles, two triples, 23 home runs and 80 RBI in 104 games...In his final 20 games with Iowa following the Triple-A All-Star break, hit .342 (26-for-76) with a .395 on-base percentage, a .763 slugging percentage and a 1.158 OPS ...Hit nine home runs and collected 25 RBI...Played 11 games for Santurce in the Puerto Rico Winter League ...Hit .233 (10-for-43) with three doubles, two homers and seven RBI.
2013
Javier combined to bat .282 (146-for-517) with 34 doubles, four triples, 37 home runs and 111 RBI in 130 games between Single-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee ... his 111 RBI and 75 extra-base hits led minor league baseball while his 37 homers ranked tied for second...Became the first minor league player in 17 seasons to reach 30 doubles, 30 home runs, 100 RBI and 20 stolen bases in the same season since D.T.
Cromer did so in 1996 for the Modesto A's...Named a Florida State League All-Star, hitting .274 (82-for-299) with 19 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs and 57 RBI in 76 contests to begin the year with Daytona...Hit four home runs, June 10 vs. Fort Myers, becoming just the second player to record a four-homer game in the 94-year history of the Florida State League ... joined former Cubs farmhand Ryan Harvey who turned the trick, July 28, 2006, vs. Clearwater...Promoted to Tennessee, July 6, and in his first action at the Double-A level, hit .294 (64-for-218) with 15 doubles, 20 home runs and 54 RBI in 54 games, helping the club to a post-season berth...Although he played in less than half of the 138-game Southern League schedule, his 20 home runs ranked fourth in the league.
2012
Spent the majority of the season with Single-A Peoria, hitting .333 (71-for-213) with 41 runs scored, 10 doubles, five triples,
12 home runs and 33 RBI before a promotion to Single-A Daytona, August 4. ...Stole 20 bases with the Chiefs, and was caught just three times.
...Recorded a .383 on-base percentage with Peoria.
...Named the Cubs Minor League Player of the Month for July after hitting
.368 (39-for-106) with seven home runs and 20 RBI in 28 games.
...His 39 hits in July were the most in a month by a Peoria player since
Justin Bour had 40 hits in August 2010.
...Had a 16-game hitting streak, July 4-21, during which he hit .438 (28-
for-64) with four doubles, three triples, six homers and 13 RBI.
...Named Midwest League Player of the Week for July 9-15 after hitting
.478 (11-for-23) in that stretch.
...Played 23 games for Daytona, hitting .188 (15-for-80) with four homers
and 13 RBI.
...Hit .211 (12-for-57) with four homers and 16 RBI in 14 games for the
Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League ... his Fall League campaign
was cut short due to an injured left thumb.
...Was leading the league in RBI and was tied for the lead in home
runs at the time of his injury.
2011
Played five games between Rookie League Mesa and Single-A Boise after he was selected by Chicago with the ninth
overall pick in the draft ... combined to bat .278 (5-for-18) with two doubles and a RBI.
