![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://www.justbaseball.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/GettyImages-1248920741.jpg?fit=7898%2C5265)
WBC Breakout Stars Set To Grow in 2023
![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/MmGkCxy6os6jRtYAm1jw9m5auRY=/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg/public/QNCZR37CENFNLAFMG37DCDWMVA.jpg)
Lars Nootbaar brings 'grind-it-out spirit' to Japan and WBC
![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2023%2F0303%2Fwbc_power_rankings_16x9.jpg)
World Baseball Classic Power Rankings: Who's No. 1? - ESPN
![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/03/21/multimedia/21kepner-wbc-japan-top-cjvk/21kepner-wbc-japan-top-cjvk-videoSixteenByNine3000.jpg)
Japan Will Face United States in World Baseball Classic Final - The New York Times
![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://i0.wp.com/rafu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/nootbaar1.png?fit=731%2C462&ssl=1)
ヌーート' Heading Overseas: WBC Skipper Sees Nootbaar as Global Gain for Japan - Rafu Shimpo
![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/03/21/multimedia/21wbc-final-ohtani-sub-fklc/21wbc-final-ohtani-sub-fklc-mediumSquareAt3X-v2.jpg)
Shohei Ohtani and Japan Beat U.S. to Win World Baseball Classic - The New York Times
![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/np_file_205324-200x200.jpeg)
Japanese Baseball Page 10 - The Japan Times
![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://imengine.prod.srp.navigacloud.com/?uuid=3ca4d705-b2eb-5d6c-8df3-3455de92d94b&type=primary&q=72&width=1024)
Japan beating America in World Baseball Classic is must-see viewing
![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/uploads/imported_images/uploads/2022/03/np_file_149903.jpeg)
Tag - The Japan Times
![Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar set to play for Japan at WBC in 'big first step for Japanese baseball' - The Japan Times](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/t_2x1/t_w1536/mlb/j4vcmm1gdoy2t8ljwwic.jpg)
Sosuke Genda is critical for Team Japan at World Baseball Classic