Steve Baron

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2009
R+:  179/241/292, 106 AB, 6 2B, 2 HR, 7 BB, 38 K

Baron struggled at the plate in his debut, although the assignment to the Appalachian League was challenging compared to going to the Arizona League.  Baron hit very little and had major problems with strikeouts.  He did throw out 54% of base stealers.  Baseball America rated him Seattle’s 25th best prospect after the season.

2010
A-:  253/282/379, 198 AB, 12 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 6 BB, 60 K, 1-1 SB
A:  182/229/221, 154 AB, 3 2B, 1 HR, 10 BB/9, 47 K, 1-2 SB

The Mariners sent Baron initially to low class A, but he was overmatched there and they moved him down once the short season leagues started play.  He didn’t hit there, either, striking out in nearly a third of his at-bats on the entire season.  He threw out 46% of base stealers overall.

2011
A:  197/266/323, 198 AB, 13 2B, 4 HR, 17 BB, 49 K, 6-9 SB
A+:  188/222/250, 16 AB, 1 2B, 1 BB, 6 K

The Mariners sent Baron back to low A and his struggles at the plate continued.  They nevertheless promoted him to high A at the end of June, but he got hurt and missed most of the rest of the year.  The strong defense continued, as he threw out 44% on the season.

2012
A:  241/280/378, 249 AB, 18 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 13 BB, 49 K, 10-11 SB

Baron returned to low A, where his hitting improved a little, including a bit more power and a drastically reduced K rate.  He threw out 48% of base stealers.  Baron again missed most of the final two months due to injury.

2013
A+:  208/247/338, 331 AB, 18 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 18 BB, 93 K, 7-7 SB

Baron spent the season at High Desert in the California League, where even the best hitting environment on the planet couldn’t help him.  The strong defense continued, with a 41% CS%.

2014
A+:  254/308/359, 142 AB, 10 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 BB, 27 K, 3-4 SB
AA:  275/342/362, 69 AB, 4 2B, 1 3B, 7 BB, 12 K, 1-2 SB

Baron returned to High Desert, where he played only semi-regularly.  His hitting improved a little, but the team had an .814 OPS, so his .667 figure wasn’t good.  He got a July promotion to AA, where he also played only semi-regularly.

2015
AA:  243/362/308, 107 AB, 5 2B, 1 3B, 20 BB, 27 K, 3-3 SB
AAA:  277/316/391, 184 AB, 12 2B, 3 HR, 10 BB, 38 K, 4-5 SB
MLB:  000/000/000, 11 AB, 2 K

Seattle sent Baron back to AA, then promoted him to AAA after two months.  His hitting improved, in the form of a much higher walk rate in AA and just better hitting in AAA.  The Mariners called him up to the majors in September after Mike Zunino got hurt and he appeared in four games.

2016
AA:  280/377/358, 232 AB, 7 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 34 BB, 54 K, 3-4 SB
AAA:  –/–/–, 0 AB

Baron spent the season in AA, except for one AAA game in which he didn’t get a plate appearance.  His hitting remained better than it was earlier in his career, with a far higher walk rate.  After the season, Seattle released him and he re-signed with them on a minor league deal.

2017
AA:  196/281/275, 51 AB, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 BB, 12 K
AAA:  256/339/329, 164 AB, 6 2B, 2 HR, 20 BB, 42 K

Baron spent much of the season in AAA before getting sent down to AA in August.  He played about half the time.  After the season, he became a free agent and signed with St. Louis.

2018
AAA:  213/262/250, 136 AB, 5 2B, 8 BB, 33 K, 0-1 SB
MLB:  200/200/200, 5 AB, 2 K

Baron spent most of the season as a backup in AAA.  The Cardinals called him up briefly in May when Carson Kelly got hurt and he got into two games.  He became a free agent again after the season.

2019
AAA:  180/264/248, 133 AB, 3 2B, 2 HR, 13 BB, 38 K
MLB:  200/200/300, 10 AB, 1 2B, 6 K

Baron had his standard season at Indianapolis, playing well defensively and having a terrible time at the plate.  The Pirates called him up for September to provide a third catcher.  He ended up getting a little playing time when Elias Diaz when out with an injury and then got hurt himself in the next-to-last game of the season.

The Pirates outrighted Baron to AAA after the season.  He’ll likely become a free agent.