51黑料

With the Cardinals鈥� major league core shifting to a focus on young, emerging talent, outfielder Lars Nootbaar finds himself as one of the club鈥檚 more experienced position players heading into the 2025 season.

The current roster makeup offers a different look compared with previous seasons in which Nootbaar has suited up for the Cardinals since debuting as a 23-year-old in 2021 鈥� a timeline that has allowed Nootbaar to share a clubhouse with veteran position players including Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols and Paul Goldschmidt.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just been, us as a (young) group, we鈥檝e kind of been able to hang back, do our thing, get our flowers, wherever they may be but then kind of not take any of the brunt of it,鈥� Nootbaar said on Monday at Busch Stadium during Day 3 of the Cardinals鈥� annual Winter Warm-Up event.

But in 2025, 鈥渢here鈥檚 no hiding anymore.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檝e got to be ready,鈥� Nootbaar said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have some growing pains as a group, but we鈥檙e going to go through it together, which is nice. Unfortunately, I think when I was younger, Nolan (Arenado) and (Goldschmidt) took a lot of that on themselves, and they took it on the chin and didn鈥檛 really have anybody to kind of look around and take any of the blame, and that鈥檚 my fault.鈥�

The 27-year-old Nootbaar enters the upcoming season with the third-most MLB service time among position players on the Cardinals鈥� current 40-man roster behind only Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado, the latter of whom the Cardinals are actively looking to trade. He sits just ahead of utilityman Brendan Donovan for service time among players in that same group.

Nootbaar described an 鈥渆xciting鈥� feeling to be a part of the core group of players the Cardinals are looking at to take a step forward this year. He pointed to the bonds that came with the shared minor league paths the young core had as well as the similar timing of their arrivals to the majors.

The Cardinals saw a wave of position player prospects reach the majors in 2022 when Donovan, Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson each debuted. A year later, top prospects Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn followed suit. The debuts of the pair of 2020 draftees were followed by the 2024 debuts of Victor Scott II and Michael McGreevy.

鈥淚 think as a group, we鈥檙e similar in age, same interests (or) similar interests, I should say,鈥� Nootbaar quipped. 鈥�(With) some of these younger guys coming, I don鈥檛 know what they鈥檙e talking about. I think that we get along, which is cool, too. We鈥檙e an athletic bunch. It鈥檚 just taking pride in that.鈥�

As for the roles that he saw the likes of Goldschmidt and Arenado hold in past years, Nootbaar believes he is ready to take the mantle. He feels it could bring a sense of 鈥減ride鈥� for him and other young players who may do the same.

鈥淏ut I think it will be me, it鈥檒l also be Masyn, it might be (catcher) Pedro (Pages) or (Donovan) or (Burleson), or whoever,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think as a group we can kind of take pride in the praises, but also the falls, so we can grow together.鈥�

The growth of the position player group will also have the veteran presence of Contreras, a three-time All-Star and 2016 World Series champion with the Cubs. Earlier this offseason, Contreras made clear his intention to stick with the Cardinals through their organizational 鈥渞eset鈥� as opposed to asking to be traded elsewhere.

鈥淗e鈥檚 going to be back there, and he knows what it鈥檚 like to be at the top,鈥� Nootbaar said in reference to Contreras, whose presence loomed in the back of the Cardinals鈥� press room during Nootbaar鈥檚 media availability. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what鈥檚 cool too, is we still got guys like him that have been there, done that and won a World Series and know what it鈥檚 like.鈥�

Following three consecutive seasons of 100-plus games played in the majors, Nootbaar described a sense of maturation since his rookie year. In what would be his fifth season in the majors, he looks to bring a blend of professionalism and the approachable personality he鈥檚 displayed in past years.

The outfielder emphasized the value that being one鈥檚 genuine self brings over the course of a season because, as he noted, putting up a 鈥渇ront or doing certain things isn鈥檛 going to help anybody.鈥�

鈥淕uys know who I am. I鈥檓 not going to hide that from them, but it鈥檚 also making sure that they feel comfortable enough to be able to ask me any questions,鈥� Nootbaar said. 鈥淜ind of lead by that and then also rag on them a little bit too.鈥�