The St. Louis Cardinals have fully embraced a rebuild, making several major offseason trades to move on from key players like Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Sonny Gray, all in exchange for promising prospects aimed at strengthening their future.
As a result, their farm system is now deeper than it has been in years, though the team may not be done dealing, with outfielder Lars Nootbaar emerging as a possible trade candidate.
The Philadelphia Phillies could be a logical destination, especially after losing Johan Rojas to a lengthy suspension, creating a clear need for outfield depth.
A proposed deal would send Nootbaar to Philadelphia in exchange for prospects Griffin Burkholder and Cody Bowker.
Although Nootbaar is currently recovering from offseason double heel surgery, his upside makes him an appealing option for the Phillies, who could afford to wait for his return and later use him as a valuable platoon or depth piece alongside emerging talent like Justin Crawford and veteran addition Adolis García.
For St. Louis, moving Nootbaar now could be a smart, low-risk decision. His trade value is unlikely to improve while he rehabs, and it could drop significantly if he struggles upon returning.
By dealing him sooner rather than later, the Cardinals would secure two promising prospects and continue building one of the league’s strongest farm systems without risking a decline in his market value.
