Report: Dusty Baker’s son to be called up for MLB debut

Jan 30, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Dusty Baker speaks after being announced as the Houston Astros manager during a press conference at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Dusty Baker’s son Darren is poised to make his MLB debut after being called up by the Washington Nationals.

The Nationals are set to call up Darren Baker on Sunday, via multiple reports. Baker will join the team once rosters expand to 40 players.

🚨 BREAKING: #Nats will call Darren Baker when rosters expand tomorrow.

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) August 31, 2024

Longtime baseball fans will remember Darren for an incident in the 2002 World Series, when he was serving as a batboy for his father’s San Francisco Giants. Baker infamously had to be pulled out of the way of an oncoming baserunner by Giants first baseman JT Snow during Game 5, moments before the 3-year-old nearly got run over. The incident led MLB to institute a new rule mandating that all bat boys are at least 14 years old.

Darren, now 25, went on to embark on his own baseball career. A 10th round draft pick in 2021, he hit .285 for Triple-A Rochester this season. He has no real power to speak of — he has hit just six home runs in his minor league career and none this season — but his .286 minor league average suggests he can at least get on base. It marks quite the full-circle accomplishment for someone who was first introduced to the baseball world over two decades ago.