Lars Nootbaar News: Poised to hit leadoff Opening Day

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Monday that he plans to deploy Nootbaar as the team's leadoff hitter in Thursday's season opener versus the Twins, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Nootbaar is in the leadoff spot for Monday's exhibition game versus Triple-A Memphis in what Marmol indicated is a preview of how the St. Louis lineup will look Opening Day. Presumed leadoff man Masyn Winn is hitting ninth Monday following a rough spring, and Winn looks like he'll slot in at the bottom of the order initially, at least against right-handers. Nootbaar collected a .446 on-base percentage this spring and has a .348 OBP for his career.