Lars Nootbaar led St. Louis Cardinals hitters in pitches seen during the 2025 season, showcasing strong plate discipline despite limited playing time. Other Cardinals like Masyn Winn and Willson Contreras also frustrated pitchers with frequent foul balls and deep counts. This analysis highlights an often-overlooked aspect of their offensive approach.
In the 2025 season, St. Louis Cardinals hitters demonstrated notable plate discipline, making pitchers work through long at-bats and numerous foul balls. Data from Baseball Savant reveals Lars Nootbaar as the Cardinals leader, facing 2,359 pitches despite losing some playing time. Of those, 936 were balls and 1,423 strikes, with Nootbaar fouling off 338 pitches—about one every seven pitches seen. Roughly 60% of pitches to him were strikes, underscoring his patient approach at age 27.
Masyn Winn followed closely, seeing 2,256 pitches, including 802 balls and 1,454 strikes. He fouled off 422 pitches, or one every 5.35 pitches, with 64% strikes thrown his way. Willson Contreras encountered 2,160 pitches, fouling off 392—one every 5.5 pitches—while facing 775 balls and 1,385 strikes, also at 64% strikes.
Brendan Donovan saw 1,923 pitches, with 705 balls, 1,218 strikes (63%), and 323 fouls—one every six pitches. Ivan Herrera rounded out the top five with 1,809 pitches, including 686 balls, 1,123 strikes (62%), and 316 fouls—one every 5.73 pitches. Victor Scott II earned an honorable mention, facing 1,703 pitches and fouling off 280—one every six pitches—with 62% strikes.
Compared to MLB, Nootbaar ranked below 65 others, but Atlanta's Matt Olson topped the league with 3,166 pitches seen, fouling off one every 5.2 pitches at 60.4% strikes. Boston's Rafael Devers was next, seeing over 100 fewer than Olson. Winn's foul rate placed him closest among Cardinals to MLB leaders in this metric.
This focus on plate discipline highlights a gritty side of the Cardinals' offense, often overshadowed by traditional stats, and suggests potential for growth in 2026.
