When the Cardinals made their first trade deadline move Wednesday by dealing Ryan Helsley, they acquired three minor leaguers: a power-hitting infielder and two right-handed pitchers.
Below is a look at five things to know about the three players headed to the Cardinals organization.
Cyclones shortstop Jesus Baez (23) during Thursday night’s game against Wilmington. The visiting Blue Rocks outscored the Cyclones 8-7 in Coney Island on May 1, 2025. (Photo by Jess Stiles/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)
Jess Stiles/Sipa USA
Infielder Jesus Baez is the top return
Jesus Baez, a 20-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, is the headliner among players headed to the Cardinals. He ranks as the Mets’ No. 6 prospect by Baseball America and eighth-best by MLB.com.
Baez, who is in High-A, has played all over the infield, mainly shortstop, but he has also seen significant time at second and third.
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Baez ranks in the top 15 in the South Atlantic League in home runs (10) and RBIs (42). His .740 on-base plus slugging percentage is 21st-best in the league.
He was signed as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican.
Baez, who missed time last year with a torn meniscus, is likely headed to the Cardinals’ High-A affiliate in Peoria, Illinois.
Baez brings power
Baez’s power is his most noted trait according to scouting reports.
Baseball America notes his “plus bat speed and exceptional high-end exit velocity — up near a maximum of 111 mph — for his age.” His bat-to-ball skills are above average
Baez, who increased his walk rate from 8.5% last year to 11% this season, was standing on second after a walk Wednesday when he found out he was traded.
His swing rate has also dropped about five percentage points from last year to this year.
Both Baseball America and MLB.com give the 5-foot-10 Baez high marks for power and hitting.
“Baez isn’t easily projectable, but his explosivity is exciting and he should have above-average raw power at his peak,” wrote Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs.
Shortstop may not be Baez’s MLB home
He has played all around the infield, and between questions about his long-term fit at shortstop and the Cardinals prospects ahead of him, Baez may not be a big-league shortstop.
“He has the pure arm strength and actions to play short but nowhere near the requisite range, and his first step is slow enough that at times he looks lacking at third base, too,” Longenhagen wrote, adding that his best long-term fit may be second base.
Baez has committed eight errors in 246 innings at shortstop at two levels of Class A this season.
He was rated as having the best arm in the organization by a Baseball America survey.
Nate Dohm is a fastball-first former 3rd-round pick
Right-handed pitcher Nate Dohm is the next-best return the Cardinals got in trade. He ranks 14th among Mets prospects by MLB.com and 25th by Baseball America.
Dohm, who stands 6-foot-4 and went to high school in the Indianapolis area, was picked in the third round of the 2024 draft out of Mississippi State University.
He has a 2.87 ERA in 18 games across two levels of Class A ball this season, starting 17 of them. He moved up to High-A in mid-May.
His fastball is his best pitch, and he “projects as a fastball-heavy reliever,” Longenhagen wrote.
His fastball can reach into the upper 90s, but it usually sits in the mid-90s, according to reports. It’s a pitch that he has leaned heavily on.
Frank Elissalt a late-round pick with potential
Right-handed pitcher Frank Elissalt, 23, is 4-5 with a 3.04 ERA in 20 games (seven starts) across two levels of Class A ball this season while averaging more than a strikeout per inning.
A 19th-round pick in the 2024 draft, the Miami native attended Nova Southeastern, the same school that produced Miles Mikolas.
He ranks 44th among Mets prospects according to Fangraphs.
Elissalt, who stands 6-foot-2, releases his mid-90s fastball from a low angle and projects as a middle reliever, according to Fangraphs.
He was called up to High-A Brooklyn earlier this month.
Cardinals trade closer Ryan Helsley to New York Mets for 3 Class A prospects
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