The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired three minor league players from the New York Mets in exchange for All-Star right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley.
Infielder Jesus Baez, right-handed pitcher, Nate Dohm (dome), and right-handed pitcher Frank Elissalt (EL-ess-SALT) were acquired by St. Louis.
Baez, 20, was signed by the Mets as an international free agent out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 2022 as a 17-year-old. In 241 minor league games, Baez has reached High-A Brooklyn, batting a career .243, and smacking 30 home runs and 136 RBI while stealing 29 bases. He ranks 2nd on Brookyln with 10 home runs this season and 3rd with 42 RBI. He ranks as the No. 6 Mets prospect in Baseball America and rated as having the “Best Arm” in the organization by the “Best Tools” survey.
Dohm, 22, was the Mets 3rd round (82nd overall) selection in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Mississippi State University after transferring from Ball State University following his freshman year. The Geneva, Ill. native made 17 starts (18 appearances) between St. Lucie (A) and Brooklyn (High-A) compiling a 3-5 record with a 2.87 ERA striking out 77 batters over 62.2 innings for 11.1 strikeouts/9 IP in his first professional baseball action. He currently ranks as the No. 25 prospect in the Mets organization by Baseball America.
Elissalt, 23, was the Mets’ 19th round (563rd overall) selection in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Nova Southeastern University, the same college that produced Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas. Elissalt, a Miami, Fla. native began his professional career in 2024 with St. Lucie and has compiled career marks of 4-5 with a 3.02 ERA over 21 appearances making seven starts. He has a career WHIP of 0.99 over 56.2 innings and is averaging 10.5 strikeouts/9 IP.
Helsley, 30, pitched in 275 career games for St. Louis since his Major League career began in 2019. The two-time All-Star was drafted in 2015 and was the longest-tenured in the Cardinals organization.
The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired minor league first basemen Blaze Jordan from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left-handed pitcher Steven Matz.
Jordan, 22, was the Red Sox 3rd round (89th overall) selection in the 2020 MLB Draft out of DeSoto Central High School in Southaven, Miss., a city outside of the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate in Memphis and the high school that produced Braves third baseman Austin Riley.
This season, Jordan is batting .308 with 12 home runs and 62 RBI to add to his 22 doubles. The 6-foot, 220 lb., right-handed hitting Jordan boasts a .377 on-base percentage, .495 slugging totaling a .872 OPS.
He began the 2025 season in Double-A Portland and was promoted to Worcester (AAA) on June 3 after being named Eastern League Player of the Month for May.
At the time of this trade, Jordan is leading all full-season Red Sox minor leaguers in batting (.308), RBI (62), hits (99), total bases (159); ranked 2nd in runs (59), extra base hits (35) and slugging (.495); and 4th in home runs (12).
Defensively, Jordan has played both corner infield positions in his professional career. He has compiled a .991 career fielding percentage at first base and has committed only one error in 348.0 innings and 304 total chances this season.
Jordan was currently ranked as the No. 24 prospect in the Red Sox organization by Baseball America.
Matz, 34, pitched in 84 games over four seasons for the Cardinals and was 15-14 with a 4.24 ERA over 252.1 innings pitched.
The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired minor league pitchers Skyler Hales, Mason Molina and International Bonus Pool Space from the Texas Rangers in exchange for right-handed relief pitcher Phil Maton.
Molina, 22, is a left-handed pitcher originally drafted in the 7th round (215th overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers out of the University of Arkansas after transferring from Texas Tech University following his sophomore season.
The southpaw was acquired by the Rangers from the Brewers in January for RHP Grant Anderson. He has appeared in 20 games making 19 starts over the past two seasons topping out at High-A Hub City. Prior to his promotion, he led Hickory (A) with 62 strikeouts and ranked 3rd in the Carolina League.
Molina joins the Cardinals organization with 3-5 record and 3.19 ERA with 98 strikeouts over 79.0 innings pitched averaging 11.2 strikeouts/9 IP. He was named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week in April following a 6.0-inning perfect start with five strikeouts at Charleston on April 18.
The Irvine, Calif., native played high school ball at Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo, the same school that produced former Cardinals infielder Nick Punto as well as Joshua Fuentes, the cousin of Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Hales, 23, is a right-handed pitcher drafted by the Rangers in the 4th round (108th overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Santa Clara University.
Over three professional seasons, Hales has compiled a 5-6 record with a 4.75 ERA over 85 relief appearances including 15 saves in 21 opportunities. He has a 1.16 WHIP and averages 10.5 strikeouts/9 IP over 100.1 innings pitched. The Reno, Nev., native ascended the Rangers’ minor league ladder to Triple-A Round Rock and has made seven appearances there since his promotion at the beginning of July.
Maton, 32, a nine-year Major League veteran, was 1-3 with a 2.35 ERA in 40 appearances with St. Louis this season.
