The Diamondbacks continue to stockpile minor league depth for 2026. Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reports that the team has agreed to a minor league contract with first baseman Luken Baker.
Baker, 28, was a former star slugger at Texas Christian University. That led to a second-round selection by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2018 MLB Draft. He debuted with the club in 2023, the first of three seasons he played in St. Louis.
Baker never got many opportunities with the Cardinals. As a first baseman, he was blocked by 2022 National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt, then Willson Contreras. His time in St. Louis came to an end in August when he was designated for assignment. The Los Angeles Dodgers quickly swooped him up on waivers before successfully outrighting him to Triple-A.
Baker elected free agency this offseason, after seven full seasons in the minors. He owns a career slash of .206/.317/.338 with four home runs and an 87 wRC+. Listed at 6’4″ and 285 lbs., he has the classic build of a lumbering slugger.
Luken Baker’s Opportunity with the Diamondbacks
All said, this is a good flyer on a big-time power prospect with good plate discipline and a little bit of swing-and-miss. Baker mashed his way to the big leagues, but he hasn’t had many opportunities to stick there.
The deal likely will include an invitation to big league Spring Training. It’s unclear what the Diamondbacks’ plan is at first base. Pavin Smith and Tyler Locklear both finished the year injured, the latter likely to open 2026 on the injured list.
Smith seems the likely option to take over at first base. He had a somewhat polarizing season, but ultimately hit .258 with eight home runs and a .797 OPS in 87 games. The Diamondbacks will be more than happy to get repeat production out of Smith, hopefully with more games played and fewer strikeouts.
Since Smith is strictly a platoon bat, having faced right-handed pitchers in nearly 80% of his career plate appearances. In 2025, that number jumped to 91.7%, as he shared the designated hitter role with outfielder Randal Grichuk. With Smith likely to reprise a similar role in the lineup, this time at first base, it’s important for the Diamondbacks to find a quality platoon partner.
Baker should be in the mix to be Smith’s platoon partner at first base. The odds of him cracking the roster are very low, given his lack of positional flexibility. The Diamondbacks could utilize the same strategy they ended 2025 with, with Tim Tawa and Ildemaro Vargas handling the short side of the platoon. The club brought back Vargas on a minor league deal in December.
Luken Baker’s 2026 Projection
If Baker’s deal does not include an opt-out, he’s likely to open up 2026 with Triple-A Reno. The Aces have an opening at first base, with top prospects Tommy Troy and LuJames Groover likely to handle second and third base.
Arizona doesn’t have a lot of first base depth in its minor league system. The only prospects of note at the position are 23-year-old Ben McLaughlin and 20-year-old Enyervert Perez. Neither player ranks in MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 prospects in the organization.
Baker hit over 30 home runs in Triple-A in 2023 and 2024 with Memphis. His power numbers dipped in 2025, leading to his ouster from the Cardinals. That power ticked back up again in 33 games with the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City. He slugged eight home runs in 33 games, producing a 127 wRC+ down the stretch.
The underlying metrics are bullish on Baker’s output with the Dodgers. He produced a 50.6% hard-hit rate (exit velocity greater than 95 MPH) and a 12.4% barrel rate. That quality of contact projects well for a big league opportunity. Coupled with a 20.1% chase rate and a 28.6% whiff rate on swings, he’s got the upside of a middle-of-the-order power bat.
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