As the Cardinals navigate the early stages of a rebuild under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan stands as perhaps the most appealing trade commodity on the St. Louis roster. The Mariners spent much of last offseason trying to pry Donovan loose from the Cardinals (under then-president of baseball ops John Mozeliak), and they’ve once again approached the Cards to express interest in coming together on a trade involving Donovan, per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times.
Donovan, 29 in January, turned in a sharp .287/.353/.422 batting line in 2025 — about 19% better than league-average performance, by measure of wRC+. He popped 10 homers in 515 plate appearances, piled up 32 doubles, walked at an 8.2% clip and struck out in only 13% of his plate appearances. It’s the fourth straight year of comparable hit-over-power and OBP-fueled offense for Donovan, who’s a lifetime .282/.361/.411 hitter in the majors. He’s walked at a 9.1% clip and fanned in just 13.5% of his 2006 MLB plate appearances dating back to 2022.
On top of Donovan’s generally strong output and impeccable bat-to-ball skills, he’s a gifted defender who can handle just about any position on the diamond. He’s played primarily second base and left field but has some decent experience at shortstop (106 innings), third base (270 innings), first base (151 innings) and in right field (205 innings).
For the Mariners, Donovan is an ideal fit. He can handle second base, third base or an outfield corner — all currently unsettled in Seattle at the moment. Prospects Cole Young and Colt Emerson are highly touted young players who could step up and solidify second base and/or third base, but Young struggled in his first 77 MLB games last year and Emerson is a 20-year-old who’s played all of six games at the Triple-A level thus far. Victor Robles is penciled into right field alongside Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodriguez, but Robles and Dominic Canzone could fill more part-time roles if Donovan is brought in and gets occasional work on the outfield grass.
Donovan also embodies the type of high-contact bat the Mariners have hoped to add in recent offseasons. The M’s had the second-highest strikeout rate of any MLB team in both 2023 and 2024. They dropped to seventh last year. Over the past five seasons, only the Angels (24.9%) have a higher team strikeout rate than the Mariners (24.7%). A full season of Josh Naylor helps to combat that, but 500-plus plate appearances from Donovan would give them a pair of premium contact bats at or near the top of the lineup.
Of course, Donovan’s versatility, production and affordability make him an ideal fit for the majority of contending teams seeking to upgrade their lineup this offseason. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a $5.4MM salary for Donovan next year. He’ll be owed a raise on that heading into 2027 — his final season of club control (barring an extension between now and then). Any team acquiring Donovan would do so knowing that they can have him for something in the rough vicinity of $15MM total through 2027. It’s an unmitigated bargain, but that also means he’ll come with a lofty asking price. The Mariners, with one of MLB’s top farm systems, are well-equipped to make a compelling offer.
Katie Woo of The Athletic wrote this week that the Cardinals are only inclined to trade Donovan if they’re blown away by an offer they don’t think they can refuse. Interest in Donovan is so high, however, that Woo suggests such an offer is likely to materialize. Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN offered similar sentiments yesterday, writing that while the Cards “are not eager” to make the move, Donovan’s market is “percolating” and an eventual trade seems likelier than not.
In addition to the Mariners, Donovan is known to have drawn interest from the Pirates, Astros, Guardians and Royals. That’s surely just a fraction of the clubs to have reached out to the Cardinals regarding Donovan. The Dodgers, Yankees and Blue Jays were all tied to Donovan last offseason and/or at this past summer’s trade deadline.
Huge pickup for whoever gets him.
At 210 lbs. he’s a big bench press for sure!
There’s zero chance Brendan is 210lbs. I’ve stood next to him and I’m bigger at 6ft and a fit/broad-shouldered 210lbs.
He’s probably 195 soaking wet
Airplane joke.
So many classic one-liners
He’s the ideal M’s target. He slots in at 3B as the strong side platoon for Ben Williamson, but also provides cover at 2B and RF. He also provides a potential Arozarena replacement for 2027.
I could see a deal coming together around Cijinte (#90 prospect) who is expendable with Anderson and Sloan in the system. A hypothetical offer could be Cijinte + Peete + Comp Round B pick for Donovan which would be a slight premium to what was sent to the Rays for 2.5 years of Arozarena.
I would love to see a Donovan for Cjintje trade
Given the prospect cost I would prefer to just offer Polanco the three year contract he wants. Keep the farm intact for some other transaction.
I agree it would probably have to be Cintje plus a prospect to the cardinals. Peete is very exciting but whenever I see his name I’m like damn, Kevin McGonigle was taken 4/5 picks after him!
Sloan or Anderson are who your parting with if this is happening most likely
Then I would pass. I’m not giving up a top 30 overall prospect (I’m high on Sloan who I’d arguably rate over Anderson) for Donovan who is a great, but not elite player (~3 WAR player with noticeable platoon splits).
If Cijinte isn’t the headliner you want, I would be willing to swap to a Farmelo or Arroyo led deal with a lesser pitching prospect included. But off limits are Emerson, Anderson and Sloan. I also don’t see Young or Ford (and the strong preference to keep given ability to contribute next year) making sense. Montes would be right on my edge.
It’s about who offers the most. He is definitely gonna get traded. Too many teams want him. My guess is he will be a dodger. He can move around the diamond a fill all the spots the dodgers could use some help at right away or when someone gets injured. They also aren’t afraid to move prospects since they have few holes.
The Dodgers are certainly my biggest fear. However, Cijinte would be a better pitching prospect than what the Dodgers could offer, unless they included Shaheen.
@stlcards0911
Cards are not getting that return for Donovan. They might think they have that kind of leverage, but no one besides Preller is stupid enough to do it. Cintje is probably about right on, He will bring better value than Donovan ever will, yearly, but its not till ’27 that he takes the ball full time. He is nasty right handed, needs to drop the left handed thing at this point, just not working out.
Then it won’t ever happen
First off, getting the names right: Cijntje and Sheehan.
Second, Donovan will seemingly be in demand, but he is controllable for only two more seasons so this will limit the asking price. Sheehan is certainly off-limits. Knack is more likely. He is rotation-ready and is three more seasons away from even being arbitration eligible. Ryan might also be available. Higher ceiling, but a longer shot.
I’m catching all of this late, but the first thing I noticed was the three different spellings of Cijntje–each of them wrong.
I don’t think Donovan goes to Seattle. It’s hard for me to believe that they would overpay for two years of a powerless infielder. This is probably just due diligence.
He makes a lot more sense for LA, in my opinion.
Agreed. If Donovan goes to LA, he’d mostly play LF.
Donovan is going to command an 80s or 90s prospect and maybe another prospect/young player with that’s close to MLB. The Cards want players who are CLOSE to MLB.
80’s and 90’s prospects are pretty old. Are they looking for coaches?
Top 100 prospects in the 80s or 90s section
Over your head, huh?
I believe the last guy to play professionally at that age was Jerry Attrick.
Definitely the kind of guy the Dodgers target.
80’s and 90’s prospects? How about Donovan to the Rangers for Rubin Sierra and Dean Palmer?
I meant guys that are ranked 80-90.
Zero chance Ms trade either of those two for Donovan
I’m not moving Farmelo. Montes is the overrated prospect they should move before his chase rates a K issue hurt his value
Black- you can trade much less for cronenworth and get about the same production.
Lazaro Montes for Donovan is going to get the deal done so blackyjack if the Mariners also agree then Donovan goes to our AL West rival.
Requires a 2 Top 10’s or a MLB ready pitcher and Prospects.
That doesn’t sound like an offer that would blow the Cardinals away especially with several other teams interested in Donovan.
If the Cards are smart they will leverage this into getting maybe 2 of a team’s top 10 prospects and maybe another guy in the top 25
Maybe they could just list all the interested teams in one article. That would allow MLBTR to look at more trade possibilities, or other FAs that have lacked coverage.
They just won’t move him if Cijntje is the best arm they can get (which is very likely not the case). It will take an offer that blows them away, and that’s not Cijntje.
It will take a young MLB ready starter, or young RH hitting outfielder to start trade talks.
@4-4
I don’t think the Cardinals need to be choosy about the return. I agree those are our greatest needs as currently constructed. But we have time to fine tune the final product. I would value potential over position.
Not being choosy gets you a major league roster and upper minor league backlog full of left handed hitting position players and pitch to contact muddle reliever types.
I feel like M’s would have to include Kade, Sloan, or Cintje. I honestly don’t see them doing that, so it would have to be Evans plus a really good prospect. Maybe Ford if they need a catcher (or 3b? Maybe he could switch). I could see Sloan if the cardinals include JoJo, but that still wouldn’t be enough to move Sloan. Sloan and Kade seem near untouchable unless we’re getting a legit superstar.
I don’t think the cardinals would want Cole Young, so this trade seems tricky for the M’s. Who would the cardinals consider in the M’s farm? Feel like the Royals could offer the best package of pitchers
You send the cardinals a catcher and they will send 4 back. Another catcher is the last thing they need.
Donovan is a under the radar legit superstar.
A 3 WAR guy is more solid than superstar IMO.
Super-utility, yeah.
Superstar… that’s an enormous stretch.
OVERPAY!!!
Sounds like the only package they’d accept would be an overpay for his services (not to say he’s not a gifted player but since they’re not looking to trade him, whoever gets him will need to give up more than he’s worth). This is not the Pirates MO so while I’d love to have him, his chances of going there are next to zero.
There’s a seafood restaurant in Anacortes Washington. About 2 hours from Seattle. I’m not a huge fan of seafood but they had some of the best halibut I ever had. Unfortunately I don’t recall the name of it. My point is,
Mariners trade a single serving of halibut fish (grilled, fried or baked) (no side dishes) and a $10 gift card to be exclusively used at the first Stahbucks.
Cardinals trade Brandon Donovan and a single rib purchased by Cheapsake Pete for $5 to Seattle.
I’m from Anacortes Washington! Could be a couple of places you had that halibut! Anthony’s perhaps?
The loss of Suarez and the addition of Donovan will bolster the lineup and help their high k rate.Wouldnt mund Donovan on my White Sox
If the return is astronomical for a 29yo above average multi purpose player with two years left and a pending lock out I would pass if I’m Yankees and just try to sign Okamoto.
How did the Yankees get into the conversation?
Alcohol?
No Brainer as a LH batter walks as much as he Ks over his career be a great addition to the team that struggled a lot in that category! Would be a cheaper option than Polonco at this point and we could use that money for one more solid piece! It is time to take a few prospects from our system and Go for It!!!!
It would be cheaper saiary-wise, but Polanco costs only money, not high-end prospects.
Agree There! We have a few spots to fill and our window is Now!! However they want to do it.
But Seattle has the best ranked farm system and they should be in win now mode. Losing a few prospects in order to save some money sounds like exactly the thing Seattle should be doing.
For an impact player, sure. But for a very good player like Donovan, without power?
The Dodgers have the trade material Hope they go for it.
So this means they aren’t really in on him. M’s front office is notoriously tight lipped about what they’re planning in the offseason unless it’s about a player they really, really want like Naylor. Highly doubt the Mariners will meet STL’s demands either. They just don’t make huge swinging trades in which they deal multiple top prospects, and prefer to keep a strong pipeline in the system no matter what. They want to contend, but they don’t want to blow it up every 3 years either.
Some fans may not agree with me, but I think Herrera makes more sense for Seattle. St. Louis has a slew of catching prospects and Burleson is better off as a DH. He could take the same C/DH role Garver had.
Herrera is a much different conversation.
The Cards are shopping a lot of players, but with Herrera’s upside and years of control, he’s close to being off the table.
He’s getting one last chance to catch, but it’s probably a pipe dream, frankly. I’ll bet he’s in left field next year and becomes our everyday center fielder a year after that.
He’s a helluva an athlete and we have no center field options on the farm and the free agent market is very thin for FA center fielders who can hit/slug.
It would be a different conversation, but it would be a better conversation for Seattle than Donovan.
Herrera has only played 4 games, 31 innings in LF.. They could be patient with him and try him in the OF more regularly, but I don’t think he should be off-limits.
If there was more clarity on a defensive position, I’d agree. But as a DH that catches once a week? Selling high now makes some sense.
Herrera is a core player for the future. im sure he can handle LF with practice. He may actually be able to improve his throwing enough to be passable at catcher which would make him one of the 3 or 4 best in baseball. I dont see CF in his future though.
Herrera in CF? Whaaa?
Definitely a HOT TAKE on my part. Honestly, I think it’s more likely he becomes a CF than a full-time catcher. His MLB baserunner throwout rate is like 6%. It would be HUGE if this offseason cleanup surgery and some extra work could get him there, but I’m very skeptical.
But he’s a great athlete. If Jon Jay could be our everyday CF for as long as he was, I think Herrera could do it. 🤷♂️
Definitely would be a change after seeing Siani and Scott out there, haha. I might be a homer, but I think I’m pretty optimistic on Herrera’s surgery. It makes sense to me that elbow bone chips could be causing his weird, slow gather where he has to get the ball almost behind his head before he throws that was allowing anyone to run on him. I think I’m more trusting of this front office and their communication already, lol
Sloan, Sundstrom and a 3rd piece probably gets it done for St. Louis.
I’m sure it would, but the Ms see Sloan as a potential frontline starter. I wouldn’t say untouchable, but I don’t see him being moved unless it’s for a bigger name than Donovan.
If that’s the case, highly doubt the Cards send him to Seattle. Too many teams want BD. Someone will overpay.
Didn’t the Cards try this tactic with Arenado last year? If you demand overpays, you end up keeping the player.
the trade was complete except for Arenados approval.
And they couldn’t find anyone else willing to trade for him, yet cards fans were here last year too, saying things like “top prospects or we’ll keep him.” I don’t think anyone is lining up to bet their future on Brendan effin’ Donovan.
CP: Nado had a very short list of places he would accept a trade to last year; his list is longer after Nado’s implosion and the Cards lackluster ’25 season. The Cards are committing to a much more robust rebuild this year and Nado is having to reassess. Things have changed.
Skidog: I read a number of pitching evaluators peg Sloan as having a higher ceiling than Anderson. I’d be shocked if Seattle traded him. He’s further out developmental wise, but he apparently has top of the rotation potential.
Is this another Bryan Reynolds trade idea where the player falls off the following year and your thankful you didn’t sign him?
If the price is right sure I guess. What do cardinals fans think of this guy. Is he a fan favorite like Randy Arozerena type? If you give up two blue chip prospects I’d rather get a little more. Yandy Diaz, ketel Maryr, Jarren Duran would excite me more for arguably the same amount
Hey! That’s not…wait okay, that’s fair.
No real fear of Donovan falling off, he plays a very consistent game that’s predicated on contact and OBP. Lot of doubles. He’s a real gamer who’s played above his prospect pedigree. Arm seems to be fine after surgery to repair a flexor, so you can probably play him at 3B or RF without worry. Pretty much every Cardinals fan really likes him. Only really trading him because he doesn’t quite fit the rebuilding timeline. If he were two years younger, they wouldn’t trade him at all imo.
T-Mobile park is a nightmare for doubles hitters. Ever since they moved the fences in to try and coax a few homers out of Justin Smoak’s warning track jacks it’s been that way.
Then he should hit more home runs…Busch Stadium is a pitcher’s park…Donny came up short a lot
Cards 81, you seem like a good guy whom I would blindly trust.
Do you think the Mariners could end up with Arenado and Donovan while the Cardinals throw in roughly 15mil ?
Seattle’s Marine Layer™️ says hi, as does the weird batter’s eye thing that supoosedly causes every Mariners hitter to add like 5 points to his K%. I know Teoscar Hernandez complained about it. I just don’t think Donovan will be much better than Adam Frazier or Kolten Wong as a hitter here. While I wouldn’t mind trading for him, I’d be pretty miffed if they had to dip into their top 10 prospects to do it.
I love the name Payne train…you seem like a very knowledgeable person…I would think that if the cardinals threw in enough money to still get a good prospect return it could happen
Cards wont compromise getting top prospects by including arenado unless they ate all the money IMO.
Great player but I think the asking price is going to be on the stupid side.
I wonder who Matt Pierpont (Cardinals director of pitching, former M’s minor league pitching coordinator) would have his eye on. Sloan? Cijntje? Buy low on Hancock?
Donovan for 3B and Marte for 2B are on my Santa’s Wish List for under the tree presents.
Marte is the one infielder who’s allegedly available that I would love to see (back) with Seattle.
But I think they’d be wise to focus on adding impact at DH, strengthen the bench, bullpen, and backup catcher; give Williamson, Rivas, and/or Young 2-3 months to see what they can do and reassess in June or July, about the time we might see Emerson debut.
Having protection for their 8 and 9 hitters should help with the transition.
Would definitely be a good pickup for the Dodgers. Can play left & right field, 1st, 2nd & 3rd base. Checks all the boxes.
Bobby Miller & one of Kellon Lindsey or Kendall George or all 3 if necessary to make the deal.
lololol. Bobby Miller and his 900.00 ERA? This package gets laughed at. period. Why is it people don’t research what a team is trying to do? Miller is a #5/6 at this point, and will be until he proves he’s not. id have to look up the other 2 prospects, but I’m assuming since you put Miller, who threw like 5 innings of 15 ERA ball last year as the headliner, I won’t be impressed. I’ll bet Sheehan gets their attention. maybe rushing, but rushing alone won’t be enough. if LAs pitching “prospects” were so great, they wouldn’t have spent a billion dollars in free agency. if I’m St Louis, I’m trading elsewhere.
Love Donny . But you just can’t have enough pitching . Ever! Look at the Dodgers and look at what the Jays are doing. If you can get good young controllable pitching then you have to do it.
The cardinals could easily lose 100 games this year.
I’d love to see Donovan in a Mariners uniform. My Hanukkah gift list consists of these eight crazy things.
Donovan at 2B/3B
Marte at 2B
Kwan in RF (or LF if Randy says it’s okay)
Bo Naylor (just to make Josh happy, if he wants)
Strahm (we still need another power LHR)
Geno on the Pirates (to get him to the National League)
Polo on the Braves (ditto)
Tyler Rogers (!because I dig the submarine pitch)
And that, I think, would secure a darn good, World-Series-worthy squad.
Happy Hanukkah (starts the 14th, but I’ll take these eight things any time)
We will take Suarez off your hands, gladly.
Neither Kwan or Arozarena are suitable for RF. If they trade for Kwan, they have a deal for Randy lined up. At $18 million and with one year left, there are teams that will be willing to trade for him.
Arozarena is a solid player, but he doesn’t fit the Mariners at $18M.
Given that Young and Emerson (and J.P. Crawford) bat left-handed, it’s a shame Donovan doesn’t bat Right.
Donovan would help provide an important floor for the team at 2b, 3b, and rf. I agree with others that he’s worth Cijinte, but not much more.
I wouldn’t give up on the upside promise of Emerson, Anderson, Sloan, or even Montes.
Seems like a player the Dodgers would like to have. His splits aren’t great when facing left handed pitching, so that might be an issue.
Depends on the asking price though.
They have other options, so we’ll see how it plays out.
Would rather hold onto Donnie and extend him. Shouldn’t take long to compete again in the central.
I wouldn’t want him… Ms need an all star like Bo. I know we need 3b but there’s better options than him. Ms need a guy who hit the ball and drive in runs with a .300 Ba and a .400 oba. I would go for Bo and put him as DH
Bloom might be the biggest doofus in baseball. Hoping the Mariners can fleece the Cards for this guy like the Dodgers did to the Sox for Mookie.