Michel Báez Cruz was born on January 21, 1996, he is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Báez played for the Vegueros de Pinar del Río and the Huracanes de Mayabeque of the Cuban National Series in 2014/2015. He signed with the San Diego Padres as an international free agent in December 2016 for $3 million.
Báez made his professional debut in 2017 with the Arizona League Padres, and after one start where he gave up two runs and struck out seven in five innings, was promoted to the Fort Wayne TinCaps where he finished the season, starting ten games, compiling a 6-2 record and 2.45 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 58+2⁄3 innings pitched.
Following the 2017 season, Báez was rated as the Midwest League’s No. 4 prospect according to Baseball America. He also earned Honorable Mention Starting Pitcher honors on the 2017 Yahoo Sports All-Minor League Team.
Baez was ranked as the Padres’ No. 7 prospect according to MLB.com prior to the 2018 season. He spent the 2018 season with both the Lake Elsinore Storm and the San Antonio Missions, going 4-10 with a 3.69 ERA in 21 total starts between both teams.
On March 31, 2021, it was announced that Báez would require Tommy John surgery and miss the 2021 season. On April 1, he was placed on the 60-day injured list.
There are no details about whether he has children or not. He may be may or may not have children. There are also no rumors about his children.