photo: Mason Molina (PJ Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)
The St. Louis Cardinals have named Mason Molina and Jesús Báez as their June Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Month. Both put up good numbers at Springfield. For Molina, it was his Double-A swan song; for Baez, it was a strong debut.
Springfield Cardinals release
LHP Mason Molina and INF Jesús Báez have been named St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Month, respectively, for June 2026. Both prospects spent time with the Springfield during their award-winning months. They become the first Springfield Cardinals to be honored with these awards in 2026. This is the first time since June 2023 that both the Pitcher (RHP Tink Hence) and Player (INF Nick Dunn) of the Month awards went to Springfield Cardinals in the same month.
LHP MASON MOLINA
Molina is the first Springfield pitcher to win this award since RHP Hancel Rincon did so in June 2025, the last of three straight Springfield Cardinals to win the award (RHP Tekoah Roby – May 2025, LHP Ixan Henderson – April 2025). The southpaw was stellar in June, making five starts to the tune of a 2.45 ERA. On June 27 at Route 66 Stadium, he tossed 6.2 innings of shutout ball while striking out six batters in what would ultimately be his final start with the Springfield Cardinals before his promotion to Triple-A Memphis. Currently the 29th ranked prospect in the system according to MLB Pipeline, Molina led Cardinals Minor League arms in innings pitched, quality starts, strikeouts and walks per nine innings in June. The lefty out of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA was acquired via trade as a part of a deal with the Texas Rangers for RHP Phil Maton at the 2025 trade deadline and is currently a part of the Memphis Redbirds starting rotation.
INF JESÚS BÁEZ
Báez is the first Springfield Cardinal position player to win Player of the Month since Bryan Torres did so in August of 2024. The 19th ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline split time between High-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield, slashing .323/.378/.708 during June, launching seven home runs and driving in 21 runs. The Dominican born infielder began his Double-A career on a blistering pace, going 8-for-21 to end the end the month of June, homering three times while tallying a hit in all but one game he played for Springfield. His .708 slugging percentage split between the two levels ranked best among all qualified Cardinals farm hands. Báez, like Molina, was acquired via a trade as a part of a package with the New York Mets in exchange for RHP Ryan Helsley in 2025.
The Cardinal Nation notes
Earlier, The Cardinal Nation selected Luis Gastelum and Brayden Smith as June Pitcher and Player of the Month.
Compare results of all four players and other finalists in these two articles.
The Cardinal Nation’s June 2026 Pitcher of the Month – Luis Gastelum
The Cardinal Nation June 2026 Player of the Month – Brayden Smith
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