The St. Louis Cardinals were right to hang on to these 3 players

3. Lars Nootbaar

Nootbaar has quietly become one of the Cardinals' best offensive weapons in 2023. He doesn't have flashy power numbers like Gorman, Arenado, or Goldschmidt, but his ability to get on base has been valuable to St. Louis.

When he has been healthy, he has been penciled into the leadoff spot for St. Louis and he has been able to set the table very well for the Cards' big bats. His .379 on-base percentage leads the Cardinals, and his 123 OPS+ makes him one of the most valuable assets on the team.

Nootbaar's name was not brought up a lot in trade talks. The Cardinals made it clear early on in the trade process that they were not interested in moving on from Nootbaar, another smart decision from the front office.

Nootbaar, just 25 years old, has the potential to be a cornerstone of the Cardinals' outfield along with Jordan Walker for the next handful of years. He has a charisma that not many Cardinals players have, and he has captured international stardom.

More than his infectious personality, Nootbaar is a reliable left-handed bat and an above-average defender. When the dust settles, and the outfield log jam is cleared away in St. Louis, an outfield of Nootbaar, Carlson, and Walker will get the Cardinals back in contention.