Who is Darren Baker in Nationals lineup? All you need to know about Dusty Baker's son's first MLB hit 22 years after his WS bat boy moment

Washington Nationals rookie Darren Baker has a familiar ring to his name. For those not familiar, the 25-year-old is the son of celebrated former MLB player and manager Dusty Baker.

Darren got a first taste of the major league after the Nationals selected his contract from Triple-A Rochester on Sunday as the roster expanded for MLB teams. He was used as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of a 14-1 loss against the Chicago Cubs.

Despite the loss, it was a memorable night for Baker as he registered his first MLB hit on the first pitch he faced with his parents in the crowd.

Darren was drafted by the Nationals during his father's reign as a manager in 2017. But he decided to play college baseball for the California Golden Bears as an infielder before switching to second base.

However, it wasn't the first time the young Baker had been on an MLB ballpark. When Dusty Baker started his coaching journey after his 19-year-long career as a player, Darren was by his father's side when the manager was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001.

Darren was a bat boy for the San Francisco Giants' Game 5 of the 2002 World Series against the Los Angeles Angels as Dusty wanted his son close to him after his diagnosis. A three-year-old Darren averted a potential collision before Giants first baseman J.T. Snow rescued him near the home plate.

Dusty Baker called it a "full circle moment" for his son.

“That’s something he doesn’t even remember, and he’s reminded of it constantly,” Dusty said. "That’s quite a story. At the time, it seemed kind of funny or embarrassing or whatever, but in the full circle of life, maybe it was supposed to happen.”

Darren Baker's decision to choose baseball was his own

Dusty Baker spent more than four decades in the MLB, 19 as a player and 26 as a manager, before retiring in October 2023. It is easy to assume Dusty's influence on his son's decision to delve into professional baseball.

However, Darren shared he was never pressured into choosing baseball.

“He’s the best, man,” said Darren of his father. “He never really forced me to play or put pressure on me or was overbearing. I kind of just found the love of the game myself and I think it really helped me in the long run. ... He’s the best and just let me be me.”

Dusty Baker's legacy could be hard to follow for his son Darren, but the 25-year-old has the right attitude as he is just getting started after his rise to the major leagues.