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While they sorted through and plugged in different candidates in left field throughout spring as Lars Nootbaar continued to rehab from offseason surgery, what Cardinals manager Oli Marmol saw with outfielder Nathan Church was 鈥渄ifferent鈥� from what he saw at the end of the 2025 season.

Coming off a sample in the majors that included a .179 batting average and a .504 on-base plus slugging percentage in his first 27 big league games, Church demonstrated more confidence in knowing what would come his way as he continues to develop.

Combined with strides off the field, his performance on the field earned Church a spot on his first opening day roster and a start in left field in the Cardinals鈥� season opener. He also drew positive feedback from his manager, that the skill set he's shown in the minors can carry over into his second season in the majors.

鈥淢y hope is that what we know about him coming up through the minor leagues, as far as being a gritty type of a 'get after it' dude starts to show at this level because he's more than capable and belongs here,鈥� Marmol said before the Cardinals began the 2026 season.

With Nootbaar placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday and will be shelved until at least May 24 as he continues to rehab and ramp up after having offseason surgery on his heels, Church is one of three Cardinals on the opening day roster who could see time in left field. The Cardinals used the spring to give opportunities in left to utility infielders Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin.

鈥淭hey all bring certain things to the table,鈥� Marmol said. 鈥淚 think you're looking at Church as an above average defender in center, definitely in left, who I actually think there's some real upside to his bat and his overall game. Saggese learning the position, Fermin learning the position, but they both bring something different to the table when it comes to their offensive profiles.鈥�

The Cardinals also came away with impressions from Nelson Velazquez, a non-roster invite to camp and a spring standout who will begin the year in Class AAA.

鈥淚t's nice to have options we're excited about for that. That's where we're trying to be as an organization. It's always going to take more than (the 26-man roster),鈥� president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said.

Before making his start in left field vs. Tampa Bay, Church described feelings of excitement with the opportunity to be in his first opening day lineup.

A former 11th-round draft pick out of UC Irvine from the 2022 MLB draft and a native of Southern California, Church recalls going to an opening day Angels game when he was younger. For his first opening day as a big leaguer, he had around eight family members in attendance at Busch Stadium.

The 25-year-old outfielder, who hit .329 with a .524 OPS in 86 games between Class AA and Class AAA last year, said getting his timing down and the movements of his swing dialed in were boxes he checked before the Cardinals broke camp this past weekend.

In his second big league camp, Church slashed .289/.413/.447 in 16 Grapefruit League games. He reached base with either a hit or a walk in all but four of the major league spring training games he appeared in.

Church noted that the work he put in away from the games was more of a focus than the box score results that show up in games. He looked to get better every single day.

As the first of the outfield depth options to get time in left with Nootbaar out for an extended period, he wants to find any way to contribute.

鈥淚 think just any time my name is put in the lineup, I'm going to compete my butt off,鈥� Church said. 鈥淚'm trying to do something to help the team win.

What goes into the lineup?

The Cardinals rolled into opening day with a lineup that had top prospect JJ Wetherholt batting from the leadoff spot, Ivan Herrera at designated hitter behind him聽鈥� and shortstop Masyn Winn hitting cleanup, which Marmol described as 鈥渦nconventional.鈥�

Marmol said before the opener that Wetherholt鈥檚 ability to work walks and hit to all fields were qualities he liked from the rookie making his debut at leadoff. The placement atop the Cardinals batting order made Wetherholt the sixth Cardinal all time to debut as the team鈥檚 leadoff hitter.

Herrera鈥檚 presence behind the rookie Wetherholt gives Herrera, one of the Cardinals鈥� most potent bats, a chance for more at-bats and puts a right-handed bat behind the lefty Wetherholt, who followed No. 9 hitter and lefty Victor Scott II.

鈥淚 think that's where he fits, right? If you wanted to have a more conventional 4-hole, you'd be doing it at the expense of him hitting second,鈥� Marmol explained of the decision to bat Herrera second. 鈥淵es, you can put Masyn (No. 2) and Herrera (No. 4). That's an option, but I think Herrera has proven to be a really solid hitter that you'd want to get the most at-bats out of in that two spot. We'd like to take a look at it that way.鈥�

The start at the No. 4 spot was the fourth of Winn鈥檚 career at the major league level. He hit from there three times during the 2025 season. He鈥檒l look to stick to his approach of hitting to all fields rather than trying to slug even in the traditional cleanup spot.

鈥淭hose three guys in front of me are some boppers, so if somebody gets to third base with less than two outs, they trust me to put the ball in the air and get that guy in,鈥� Winn said. 鈥淭his lineup is a little weird. Obviously, there's not as much power in that 4-holes as some other teams, but as far as getting the job done, moving runners and stuff, I think it's going to be good for us.鈥� 聽