Ednel Javier Báez (born December 1, 1992) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball shortstop for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He is nicknamed “El Mago” (Spanish for “The Magician”) (MLB). He previously played for the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets in Major League Baseball. Báez, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico, moved to Florida with his mother and siblings, two brothers and a sister, in 2005. The move was made so that his sister, Noely, could receive medical treatment for her spina bifida. In Puerto Rico, he and his two brothers, Gadiel and Rolando, became acquainted with the sport through their father, ngel Luis Báez, who heavily influenced their lives and was responsible for their interest in baseball before his death when Javier was ten. The brothers would later immortalize their passion for baseball by getting tattoos of the Major League Baseball logo, indicating that “baseball has been in their lives forever.” Báez struggled to adjust as a middle school student because he couldn’t speak or understand English fluently. Báez eventually learned the language through trial and error over the course of three years, memorizing words before understanding their true meaning. In Jacksonville, Florida, Báez attended Arlington Country Day School (ACD). His ACD coach, Ron Dickerson, stated that scouts were initially unimpressed with him, noting his talent but not believing he could become a star. Dickerson emphasized that Báez’s work ethic was instrumental in establishing him as a viable prospect. He had a.463 batting average with 38 hits as a sophomore, with nine doubles and 13 home runs. He had 82 plate appearances in 25 games and 60 runs batted in (RBIs). Báez was a highly regarded Aflac All-American by the end of his junior season. During his senior year, he had 64 hits in 83 at-bats for a.771 average, including 20 doubles. There were 22 home runs. Báez finished with 52 RBIs in 30 games. He never played a position consistently during his time at ACD. When the team lost a player, Báez was moved to shortstop after working at second base. He also played center field and catcher in addition to these positions. He has signed a letter of intent to play college baseball at Jacksonville University.