Cardinals Shockingly Urged To Trade Beloved $121 Million Star This Offseason

Could the St. Louis fan favorite be a trade chip?

Sep 8, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals' youth-laden roster was supposed to have blossomed by now but sadly, a weak player development system has negatively impacted the growth of young stars.

Perhaps the most obvious example is former top prospect Jordan Walker, who, a season removed from making a run at National League Rookie of the Year, played only 51 games for St. Louis in 2024 after being demoted to Triple-A Memphis.

Another youngster who has underperformed since jumping to the big leagues is now being mentioned as a possible trade option for the Cardinals this upcoming offseason.

"
St. Louis Cardinals: they should trade Lars Nootbaar," Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer wrote Tuesday. "The 27-year-old should be a trade candidate anyway, of course. Because while he does come with baked-in injury concerns, above-average hitters who can play all three outfield spots and still have club control through 2027 aren't exactly plentiful."

Nootbaar has batted .246 with 113 extra-base hits including 45 home runs, 146 RBIs and a .773 OPS throughout his four-year career with the Cardinals.

This season was supposed to be the year Nootbaar finally unleashed his full potential. However, a series of untimely injuries derailed any offensive momentum he could muster and 2024 ended up being an average year for the young outfielder.

The California-native batted .244 with 33 extra-base hits including 12 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .759 OPS in 109 games played for St. Louis this season.

Considering the Cardinals are motivated to build up their youth core, it would be shocking to see St. Louis trade a beloved fan favorite such as Nootbaar, even if his projected market value is nearly $121 million over an eight-year deal, according to Spotrac.

If Nootbaar can stay healthy, he should be a significant building block for St. Louis' future. Trading him before he reaches his full potential would be incredibly reckless and unwise on the front office's part. The Cardinals don't need to add another name to the long list of former players who thrived after joining another team.

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