Lars Nootbaar Bio
Lars Taylor-Tatsuji Nootbaar is an American professional baseball outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). On the international level, he represents the Japan national baseball team, where he became the first player not born in Japan to play for the country in a World Baseball Classic. Born and raised in El Segundo, California, Nootbaar played three seasons of college baseball at the University of Southern California before the Cardinals selected him in the eighth round of the 2018 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2021 and has since become known for his plate discipline, defensive versatility across all three outfield spots, and a special bond with the Cardinals fan base.
Early Life and Background
Lars Taylor-Tatsuji Nootbaar was born on September 8, 1997, in El Segundo, California. He is the son of Charlie Nootbaar, an American father of Dutch descent, and Kumiko Enokida, a Japanese mother. Nootbaar’s parents met while they were students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and his older brother, Nigel, also went on to play college baseball at the University of Southern California. Nootbaar also has a sister, and the family has stayed closely connected to both his American roots and his Japanese heritage.
Nootbaar grew up in El Segundo, a small beach city in the Los Angeles area, and was a Los Angeles Dodgers fan as a kid. When he was nine years old, a Japanese national youth baseball team toured the United States, and young Nootbaar served as a batboy, stretching and playing catch with the players. Some of the Japanese players stayed with the Nootbaar family during the tour, an experience his mother later pointed to as a formative moment in his connection to Japan.
Path to Baseball
Nootbaar attended El Segundo High School, where he played both baseball and football. He was a three-time league MVP in baseball and a two-time league MVP in football as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, showing the kind of multi-sport athleticism that has long been a hallmark of high-level baseball prospects. Despite his football success, he committed to play college baseball at the University of Southern California, though he was also recruited to play college football by UC Davis and Fordham.
At USC, Nootbaar became a three-year starter for the Trojans, following in the footsteps of his older brother Nigel. After his freshman year, he played summer league baseball for the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League. As a sophomore, he was named All-Pac-12 Conference after hitting .313 with 34 runs batted in, 33 runs scored, and seven home runs, and he then played summer wood-bat ball with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League. His junior season was more modest, as he hit .249 with six home runs and 24 runs batted in, but his combination of on-base skills and outfield instincts convinced the St. Louis Cardinals to select him in the eighth round of the 2018 MLB draft.
Lars Nootbaar Career
Minor League Career (2018–2021)
After signing with the Cardinals, Nootbaar was assigned to the State College Spikes of the Low-A New York–Penn League, where he set a team record with seven runs batted in during a single game. He finished his first professional season hitting .227 with two home runs and 26 runs batted in across 56 games. In 2019, he moved quickly through the system, beginning the year with the Single-A Peoria Chiefs of the Midwest League before being promoted to the High-A Palm Beach Cardinals of the Florida State League, and then a second promotion to the Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Texas League. Across 101 games that year, he batted .264 with seven home runs and 38 runs batted in.
The 2020 minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, slowing his development. Nootbaar began 2021 at the Cardinals’ alternate training site before being reassigned to the Triple-A East Memphis Redbirds, where he posted a .329/.430/.557 slash line with five home runs and 17 runs batted in over 22 games. That strong stretch earned him a promotion to the major leagues, and he also played for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League after the regular season ended.
MLB Debut and Cardinals Breakthrough (2021–2022)
On June 22, 2021, the Cardinals selected Nootbaar to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut that day as the starting left fielder against the Detroit Tigers, recorded his first hit the next day with a triple, and hit his first MLB home run as a pinch hitter off JT Brubaker in a 7–6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 12. He hit another pinch-hit home run the very next day in a 6–0 victory over the Kansas City Royals, and on August 25 he notched his first career walk-off hit, a single in the 10th inning against Tigers reliever Michael Fulmer. He finished 2021 slashing .239/.317/.422 with five home runs and 15 runs batted in over 124 plate appearances.
Nootbaar entered 2022 as the Cardinals’ fourth outfielder but eventually moved into a starting role as injuries opened spots and his strong play forced his way into the lineup. Over 108 games that year, he hit .228/.340/.448 with 14 home runs, 40 runs batted in, and 16 doubles, becoming a fan favorite at Busch Stadium. Cardinals supporters often greeted him with a loud “Nooooot!” when he batted or made a defensive play, a chant that could easily be mistaken for booing but quickly became a signature moment of his early big-league career.
Everyday Outfielder and International Star (2023–2025)
In 2023, Nootbaar became an everyday player for St. Louis, mainly handling center field while also spending time in left and right field. Over 117 games, he batted .261 with 14 home runs and 46 runs batted in, cementing his status as a versatile piece of the Cardinals’ outfield. He suffered rib fractures before the 2024 season, and his performance and playing time dipped that year, as he batted .244 with 12 home runs across 109 games.
During the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Nootbaar accepted an invitation to represent Japan, the country of his mother’s birth, and batted leadoff for the team throughout the tournament. Japan won the championship, with Nootbaar recording a run batted in during the final against the United States, and he became the first player not born in Japan to represent the country in a World Baseball Classic. In 2025, he made 135 appearances for St. Louis, hitting .234/.325/.361 with 13 home runs and 48 runs batted in. On October 17, 2025, the Cardinals announced that Nootbaar had undergone surgeries on both heels ten days earlier to remove Haglund’s deformities, and on October 26, Chaim Bloom noted that he could begin the 2026 season on the injured list as a result of the procedures.
Driving Style and Strengths
Nootbaar is known for his disciplined plate approach, drawing walks and working deep counts, along with the defensive flexibility to play all three outfield positions at a high level. His above-average on-base percentage, combined with steady glove work and baserunning instincts, has made him a valuable role player who can slot into the middle of a Cardinals lineup.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature moments for Lars Taylor-Tatsuji Nootbaar include his first MLB home run as a pinch hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021, his first career walk-off hit against the Detroit Tigers later that same season, and his role as leadoff hitter and run producer for Japan’s 2023 World Baseball Classic championship team. He also became the first non-Japan-born player ever to represent the country in a World Baseball Classic.
Lars Nootbaar Career Wins
Lars Nootbaar’s professional win totals are spread across the minor leagues, his major league career with the St. Louis Cardinals, and international play. In the majors, his most important victories have been key regular-season games and postseason pushes with the Cardinals, while his biggest international win came with Japan’s World Baseball Classic title in 2023.
MLB Highlights
Nootbaar debuted in the major leagues on June 22, 2021, against the Detroit Tigers, and picked up his first win contribution in a Cardinals uniform soon after. He has been a steady contributor in the outfield for St. Louis since 2022, helping the team compete in the National League Central and appearing in more than 100 games in three straight seasons from 2023 through 2025. His most recent MLB action came in 2025, when he played 135 games and drove in 48 runs before undergoing heel surgery in October.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the major leagues, Nootbaar has posted strong seasons across every level of the Cardinals’ minor league system, including a record-setting seven-RBI game with the State College Spikes in 2018. His biggest win, however, came on the international stage in 2023, when he helped Japan capture the World Baseball Classic championship by recording a run batted in during the final against the United States.
Lars Nootbaar Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Lars Nootbaar comes from a deeply athletic and multicultural family. His father, Charlie Nootbaar, is an American of Dutch descent, and his mother, Kumiko Enokida, is Japanese, and the two met while attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His older brother, Nigel Nootbaar, pitched at the University of Southern California and went on to play professionally in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system from 2012 to 2015, giving Lars a direct family connection to high-level baseball. Nootbaar also has a sister, and one of his middle names, “Tatsuji,” comes from his maternal grandfather and is printed on some of his baseball equipment as a tribute to his Japanese heritage.
Personal Life
Nootbaar is known for keeping his personal life private, and public details about a spouse or children have not been confirmed. He has spoken openly about his pride in representing both his American upbringing and his Japanese heritage, particularly during his time with the Japan national team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His strong relationship with Cardinals fans, marked by the “Nooooot!” chant that followed him at the plate, has also become a defining part of his public persona in St. Louis.
2025 Season Performance
Lars Nootbaar’s 2025 season was his most active major league campaign to date, as he appeared in 135 games for the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit .234/.325/.361 with 13 home runs and 48 runs batted in, providing steady on-base skills and outfield defense from a variety of positions. His plate discipline remained a strength, and he continued to be a reliable everyday presence in a Cardinals outfield that leaned on his versatility in center, left, and right field.
The season ended on a difficult note, as the Cardinals announced on October 17, 2025, that Nootbaar had undergone surgeries on both heels ten days earlier to remove Haglund’s deformities. On October 26, Chaim Bloom indicated that Nootbaar could begin the 2026 season on the injured list as he recovers from the procedures. Despite the late-season setback, Nootbaar’s 2025 campaign reinforced his value to the Cardinals as a disciplined hitter and a flexible defender.
Looking ahead, the focus for Nootbaar and the Cardinals shifts to his rehabilitation and a potential return to everyday play later in 2026. If he can return to his pre-injury form, the combination of his plate discipline, defensive versatility, and international experience should keep him in the middle of the team’s long-term plans. His standing as a fan favorite in St. Louis and as a historic figure in Japanese baseball also gives him a unique profile as he works his way back from surgery.