Ranking the 10 most important St. Louis Cardinals players for the 2025 season

2 - Lars Nootbaar (OF)

It’s been said time and time again, but Lars Nootbaar just needs to stay healthy. Despite multiple IL stints again in 2024, Nootbaar was one of the Cardinals' best offensive contributors when healthy. He started slow after missing Opening Day but found his groove in May, where he recorded a .845 OPS. Then he recorded a .986 OPS in September after returning from his second IL visit. When he stays on the field, he’s a borderline elite player. However, he has yet to show that availability.

Nootbaar’s expected metrics also indicate that he hasn’t reached his full potential yet. He has the lowest chase rate in all of baseball, and he hits the ball extremely hard when he does put the ball in play. Last year, Nootbaar was tied with his WBC teammate Shohei Ohtani for the eighth-highest blast rate in the league despite taking far fewer swings. If he can find a good balance between plate discipline and power, he could become one of the most dangerous hitters in a promising lineup. 

The fan frustration with Nootbaar is understandable, though, as he’s failed to play 120 games in a season so far. 2025 should truly tell us whether he will be a great player or just a good player. But with an offseason of preparation and a focus on health, there’s still hope that Nootbaar can develop into the star he is capable of being.

1 - Jordan Walker (OF)

After a strong rookie season in 2023, it looked like Jordan Walker would become an anchor in the Cardinals lineup. However, his 2024 season was as disappointing as it was brief. With the Cardinals fighting for a playoff spot all summer, the team did not give Walker the chance to struggle at the Major League level and instead sent him to Triple-A very early in the season.

Admittedly, Walker’s 72 wRC+ and lackluster defense were both unplayable for a contending team. But the way the Cardinals handled his development was unacceptable. Amidst a hot stretch in Triple-A, Walker was called up as a platoon bat against left-handed pitching and promptly sent down when he was no longer needed. The repeated moves between Memphis and St. Louis surely didn’t help with his development and possibly contributed to his struggles at the big-league level. Ultimately, he had a disappointing season at the Major League level and didn’t see many improvements in Triple-A.

Not all hope is lost, though, as Walker is just 22 years old and has spent the offseason with new hitting coach Brant Brown to revamp and rediscover his swing. At 6 foot 6, Walker has the talent and pedigree to develop into a star, but the Cardinals need to give him the playing time to improve and work through his struggles rather than optioning him to the Minor Leagues. Of all the young bats on the Cardinals roster, Jordan Walker has the highest ceiling. If the Cardinals want this youth movement to work, Walker has to develop into a productive player. After so many top prospects have failed to pan out, St. Louis is relying on Jordan Walker to be the future of the franchise.