The St. Louis Cardinals have entrusted their youth-laden core with getting the job done this season and so far, the results have been shockingly positive.
Despite a 4-6 record, the Cardinals’ offense has been among the league’s best in 2025. Many doubt St. Louis’ ability to compete this year but if the lineup continues to dominate, the 11-time World Series champions could reclaim the National League Central throne by the end of the season.
Of all the young sluggers emerging from the Cardinals’ lineup, there’s one in particular whose stellar performance has stood out the most. Could he climb his way to the top of NL MVP discussions?
“Injuries have limited (Lars) Nootbaar in recent years, and as a result, he’s never appeared in more than 117 games in a season,” MLB.com’s Andrew Simon and Manny Randhawa wrote Tuesday morning when listing out players who could put themselves on the MVP map this season. “But the underrated outfielder has produced when in the lineup — entering this season, he owned a career .774 OPS (115 OPS+). And given his hot start to the 2025 campaign, could he be taking things to another level? Through the first nine games of the season, he has an .877 OPS with a pair of homers for a Cardinals lineup that is off to a fast start.”
Nootbaar has batted .248 with 115 extra-base hits including 47 home runs, 152 RBIs and a .777 OPS throughout his five-year career with the Cardinals.
The 27-year-old’s inability to remain healthy has prevented him from blossoming into the All-Star-caliber player he has the potential to become.
Last year, Nootbaar suffered an oblique strain from a checked swing just as he was beginning to showcase his raw talent at the plate. The beloved Cardinals outfielder logged a .244/.342/.417 slash line with 12 home runs and 45 RBIs in only 109 games played for St. Louis in 2024.
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol has assigned Nootbaar to bat lead-off this season, which has proven highly effective. If the young slugger continues to produce offensively and remain healthy, he should be headed for his first-career All-Star Game appearance this summer. However, he likely has a long way to go before joining legitimate MVP considerations.
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