Before the season even began, Cardinals 25-year-old outfielder Lars Nootbaar hit the baseball scene with a splash, quickly winning the hearts and minds of, well, everyone. He was selected to represent Team Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and his joy and enthusiasm to be participating was simply infectious. He was so clearly having a great time and it made fans excited for the sport and the tournament.
Then he did the hard part: rewarded people for watching. In seven games he slashed .269/.424/.269 and scored seven runs as a table-setter for Team Japan. Perhaps just as importantly, he introduced his signature pepper grinder celebration to his team, which then became a viral sensation.