ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar has become a sensation on and off the field and around the world, all for being himself.
Nootbaar was selected by the Cardinals in the eighth round of the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft and spent years in the minor leagues before making his debut during the 2021 season.
Since his debut, he has become a consistent starter in the outfield for the team and has charmed fans with his play, personality and infamous celebration, the "pepper-grinder."
The 25-year-old shared on Thursday a piece on his journey to the major leagues, his family and the World Baseball Classic in The Player's Tribune, a media platform founded by former baseball player Derek Jeter.
Nootbaar began the piece by describing what his life was like in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the minor league baseball season was canceled.
He returned home to California and began working a "9-to-5" job and began working on his baseball career.
"Here’s the rest of your life if you don’t invest your all into this baseball thing and make it happen. You have one shot at this. If baseball really is your dream, you need to go out and make it come true," Nootbaar said.
After the pandemic and working on his game, Nootbaar was able to break through to the major leagues.
In the World Baseball Classic in 2023, Nootbaar became the first player not born in Japan to represent the country in the tournament. Then, he went on to win the classic with some new friends, including Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani.
"But really … it was one of the great honors of my life. I’ll never forget it," he said.
In the piece, he talks about what it is like playing for the Cardinals, watching Albert Pujols' journey to 700 home runs and what's to come.
In the 2023 season, he is back with the Cardinals and has recorded a .289 batting average, three home runs and 24 hits in 83 at-bats.
"I wouldn’t trade playing in St. Louis for anything," he said.
Read Lars Nootbaar's full story on The Player's Tribune here.
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