Brendan Donovan‘s name has been mentioned in trade rumors for a couple of years now, but with the Cardinals moving into a full-on rebuild mode this winter, it has seemed like only a matter of time before the versatile All-Star is dealt. That said, it isn’t a guarantee that another club will meet what is reportedly a high asking price on the Cards’ part, and Donovan won’t necessarily remain on the market forever.
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom naturally didn’t share many details on the trade talks when speaking with reporters (including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) this weekend at the Cards’ Winter Warm-Up fan event, but Bloom would “I think ideally” like to see Donovan’s situation settled one way or other by the start of Spring Training. This is certainly a lot less concrete than Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen firmly declaring the end to the Ketel Marte trade negotiations, but it is some indication that Bloom might have some kind of loose deadline in mind.
This could be a way of putting a bit more pressure on Donovan’s suitors to up their offers, or it could reflection the simple fact that Donovan and the Cardinals have a season to prepare for, and constant trade buzz will continue to be a distraction. While the hot stove won’t entirely cool until a deal actually happens, Donovan would surely prefer to just focus on baseball during Grapefruit League action. Having rumors weigh on Donovan to the point that it impacts his play isn’t helpful for Donovan, the Cardinals, or the team’s efforts to command a high return on the trade market.
Since Donovan is arbitration-controlled through the next two seasons, there isn’t any immediate reason St. Louis needs to trade him this offseason. The situation also got a little less pressing when Nolan Arenado was dealt to the Diamondbacks, thus opening up the Cardinals’ third base spot and creating less need for Donovan to be moved out of second base.
Moving some of Arenado’s salary was certainly a factor in his trade, but from a pure baseball standpoint, the rebuilding Cardinals wanted as much runway as possible for their younger players to get regular at-bats. Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese should benefit from more available third base playing time, but both Bloom and manager Oliver Marmol reiterated this weekend (to Gould and other media) that top prospect JJ Wetherholt has a chance to make the Cards’ Opening Day roster.
Baseball America ranked Wetherholt fourth on its updated August list of the top 100 prospects in baseball, and MLB Pipeline has Wetherholt fifth on its current list. The 23-year-old infielder is sure to occupy another top-shelf ranking when the 2026 prospect lists are released, as Wetherholt excelled in his first full pro season — he hit .300/.425/.466 over 275 plate appearances for Double-A Springfield, and then hit .314/.416/562 over 221 PA after an in-season promotion to Triple-A ball.
Wetherholt totaled 17 homers and 23 steals (out of 26 chances) over the full 496 PA and 109 total games while playing primarily at shortstop, but he made 20 appearances as a second baseman and 12 appearances at third base. The Cardinals aren’t going to rush things with their prized prospect, and if the hot corner is likely going to be Wetherholt’s entry point into his big league career, his fielding development may be the deciding factor in whether or not he can break camp. However, both evaluators and the Cardinals themselves have a high opinion of Wetherholt’s glovework, and feel he can adapt anywhere.
“There is a versatility there. His mindset will allow him, in my opinion, to excel at any of those [positions],” Marmol said. “It’s a special mindset. It’s one I continue to be impressed with.”
The shortstop position might not open for Wetherholt as long as Masyn Winn is there, as Winn is one of the game’s top defenders. Winn won his first Gold Glove in 2025 despite playing through a partial meniscus tear during the second half of the season, and he underwent an arthroscopic knee surgery in late September to correct the issue.
The relatively minor procedure wasn’t expected to impact Winn’s readiness for Spring Training, and Bloom confirmed as much to reporters (including Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) this weekend. Winn is “not even in rehab mode. He’s just preparing for the season at this point,” Bloom said.
Ivan Herrera is also making good progress in his recovery from October surgery to remove a bone spur from his throwing arm. Bloom said Herrera has started his throwing program, and his offseason prep over the next week will include the start of his hitting work, as well as blocking and receiving work behind the plate. Herrera acted mostly as a DH during an injury-marred 2025 season, as he played in only 107 games. While his bat certainly didn’t suffer (19 homers and a .284/.373/.464 slash line in 452 PA), Herrera is eager to return to catching in 2026.
Defense was seen as a question mark for Herrera even before his health issues cropped up, so his future as a catcher is far from settled. Spring Training will provide some answers on Herrera’s recovery and development, but “I think it’s hard to evaluate strictly in spring,” Marmol said. “When you think about what pitchers are doing in spring, they’re working on a specific pitch. You’re not game-planning against a hitter. There are certain things we’ll be able to continue to address and improve upon during spring. But I think that’s a tough ask.”
As Goold notes, Herrera’s ability to catch impacts the Cardinals’ wider roster decisions. If Herrera will again be a primary DH, the Cards will need to roster two proper catchers — Pedro Pages, and one of Yohel Pozo or Jimmy Crooks. If the Cardinals feel good enough about Herrera’s defense to make him a part-time backstop, that probably means Pozo and Crooks will start the season in Triple-A, or one of them could possibly be trade fodder.
Red Sox?
Lefty-we have a kid who can play the same positions-a left handed utility guy in Gray and Sogard. Sogard just needs more opportunity to play more
Gray is a starting pitcher. Sogard is a nice depth piece but 4a. He’s nowhere near as valuable as Donovan.
Tristan Gray
Who is nowhere near the major leagues.
Tristian Gray has three years of big league experience so yes he is position depth right now. If he can be reliable depth at AAA at third base is another question entirely. His statcast numbers say in limited big league plate appearances he hits the ball hard seems to have some power potential.
He’s already been in the big leagues.
Yeah for a cup of coffee. And he’s failed everytime to make an impact.
My point is comparing journeymen roster fodder to Brendan Donavan is silly.
Donovan has settled in to be an ok, not great, everyday player.
He’s a 2 war range guy for 3 straight seasons, in his prime. Hes not valueless, but, he’s not an amazing piece that commands a premium.
It’s hard to believe that the infield and catcher position are still too crowded.
Saggese was the Texas league MVP a year ago. Gorman, Wetherholt, Donovan, Saggese, Winn, Prieto all good options for 3 spots.
Bernal, Pages, Crooks, Pozo, Herrera and eventually Rodriquez all with potential at catcher.
How Bloom and Oli manage this will make a big difference on how quickly this rebuild turns to competitive.
I don’t want to trade Donovan just yet but eventually I think Saggese can replace him.
Saggese has good stats in the minors, just not much quantity. His major league stats and raw numbers are not good. I want him to become the next Donovan but he needs repetitions and superior coaching.
If Wetherholt doesn’t start the season on the roster in position of his own it will be a travesty. Other club officials polled Wetherholt as the Rookie of the Year.
I sure would like to keep Donovan because he plays exciting baseball offensively and defensively.
Maysn Winn needs to repeat his ’24 WAR numbers and his ’25 defensive numbers, bringing it all together in ’26 and test of his career.
@Daryl – Unfortunately, Wetherholt will likely start in the minors to manipulate service time, and it will be reported as needing to work on his defense.
The Cardinals have never done such service time manipulations before.
Even Jordan Walker, considered their best prospect in a long time 3 years ago, made the Opening Day roster and was only sent down when it became clear neither his offense nor defense were ready for a starting job in an OF logjam while the team was still trying to compete early in the 2023 season. (They actually had a decent first half of May that year before the pitching collapsed completely around them.)
@bass – With the last CBA negating the value of service time manipulation and the real possibility JJ could earn a ROY, manipulation isn’t a thing.
The sooner JJ comes up (when ready amid this full, low-pressure rebuild), the better for all parties involved.
The infield situation could get more complicated if Gorman is simply unplayable at 3B. You couldn’t just hand the position to Saggese because he is really the only option to spell Winn. This is important because I think the Cardinals need to do a better job of managing Winn’s workload to keep him healthy for the long run. I don’t know anything about Prieto’s ability to play 3rd. Conceivably, Fermin could end up the everyday 3B with Saggese filling in around the diamond. I suppose Gorman could be the regular DH if he hits enough to justify it.
This is all assuming Donovan is traded before the start of the season and Wetherholt starts at 2B.
Or JJ slides to SS and Sagesse to 2B when Winn needs a day. Sagesse backfills at UI for Donny overall and challenges Gorman at 3B.
And assuming if Donovan (and/or Romero) is traded a 3B capable dude doesn’t come in the return.
Donovan plus Nootbaar/Burleson to the Jays for Tiedemann and another prospect
There is not a player I’m less excited about on the Cardinals roster than Gorman.
It’s possible to move Walker back to 3B, since that was also his original position. Although, whether he can hit enough to hold any starting job is a question with him.
There’s of course also the option of playing Weatherholt at 3B and Gorman at 2B, where Gorman has been at least playable in the past.
Watching Walker and Gorman at 3rd after watching Arenado there for a few years will be painful for fans. Walker is a big dude, and athletic for his size, but I preferred him in the outfield when I watched in Springfield and the hot corner is much hotter at MLB than AA. The better team if they were actually trying to win ballgames would be JJ at 3rd and Donovan at 2nd. I hope Donovan is retained at least to start the season. The kids could come out of the gate hungry and the pitching could surprise. They could easily play up to expectations however. Baseball is fun to watch cause there are crazier things to happen…
I even forgot Fermín
He ended the year so strongly that I’m more bullish on him than ever before. I’ve always loved how he racks up so many more walks than Ks at AAA.
Burleson
Donovan
Romero
For
Eldridge
Fitzgerald
Wisely
No thanks. Plus the Giants don’t have Wisely anymore.
Brett Wisley hasn’t been with the Giants since last September (Braves, now Rays). Would be kind of hard to include him in a trade…
If Eldridge was even offered, this deal would be done. That’s probably the stalemate on a trade to SFG.
I’ll die on this hill just because it’s fun: Eldridge ain’t all that. His numbers in AAA last year (PCL no less) were just good not great, and he can only play 1B, the least valuable position on the field. He wouldn’t be the first dude to plateau as a decent MLB regular but nothing special. This may be one of those circumstances where the public prospect rankings don’t match industry opinion at all.
Seamaholic Eldrige is also questionable defensively. Sure hes young and could be good but who knows.
King of Cards please refrain from submitting trade proposals unless you are both an expert on your own team’s roster down to the sub-A levels but most importantly please be aware of every aspect of the roster of the trading team in question, then these major blunders like Wisely will no longer trip you up. There are known trolls in other threads who are still rolling on the floor laughing about your Wisely gaffe. You can’t make “own-goals” like that around here or it’s knives in your back.
“Major blunders” LMAO
Yikes. Posting about baseball is supposed to be fun dude. Lighten up on the nerd-police thing.
Ignorant is right. I dont mean you are right I mean you are ignorant.
Wisely was a freaking throw in for the deal. Hes almost meaningless. Major blunders? What the heck are you talking about you dork? Yeah trolls exist. That doesnt mean i need to change because like you i am scared of them. You sound like a tool. If you are rolling on the floor laughing about a nobody guy i didnt realize was on the team anymore you are a loser.
The Giants want to get better right? Donovan and Burleson makes them better. Eldridge might be good he might not be who knows.
That was supposed to be a joke post but it got too long on me sorry.
You think these other idiots took it as a joke?
I know i didnt
its all good man. Like i said people without original thoughts criticizing mine are lame.
This trade is so outdated. Probably got that from ChatGPT.
No King of cards. Please stop.
You stop. Have an original though and then you can talk to me. Just try it. Then people can criticize you whoever the heck you are.
The more time passes, the more pressure Bloom puts on himself to make the “perfect” trade for Donovan and others. The Mariners and Giants both want him, and both have a ton of options to offer. Pick one and pull the trigger already! It might end up being great and it might end up stinkeroo – that’s the way trades work. No deal is perfect. Come on, just get it done.
The more time passes, the more pressure Bloom puts on himself to make the “perfect” trade for Donovan and others.
========================
That works the same on both sides. The longer other teams wait to fill a hole, the more pressure on them. But more importantly, if pressure was always one-sided, the acquiring team will always wait as long as possible.
It doesn’t work that way. In fact, I’d argue that the Cards are in better shape since they don’t have to trade Donovan.
And the market just expanded with the Braves losing HSK for most of the season.
If he has an ordinary recovery; he’s projected to be back in late May. That’s Hardly half the season.
Donovan isn’t a SS. Not a full time one anyway.
His value drops as he spends the remaining service time. To maximize return, they should trade him before the season starts. He is a wasted asset on a rebuilding team like the Cardinals.
I thought the HSK projected return was 4-5 mos, so that would put it into June/July.
Yes his value would most likely drop if hes not traded until midseason. But its not dropping now.
I think its time to make a deal. But lets stop being dramatic about it.
The best Donovan move is a 5 yr extension. Why trade for somebody who might be as valuable. Donovan is an acquired taste.
Because Bloom isn’t going to (and shouldn’t) settle for Cjintje or Whisenhunt/Kilen as the main pieces. Until either of the those teams blinks, it seems that’s what they’re offering. Why accept that? Mariners have one of the most top-heavy and unbalanced systems in the league (with Emerson, Sloan, and Anderson seemingly off limits), and the Giants don’t have much at all, so it’s tricky and not really a matter of “so many options.”
I think Williamson makes a lot of sense for the Cardinals. Him and Cjintje makes for a pretty decent offer and the Mariners have a comp pick to trade as well.
As far as the Giants I dont like the fit as much if they want to keep Eldridge, who btw is going to drop in the new top 100 prospect list. Without him I dont want to deal with the Giants.
Cardinals can hold on to Donovan til the trade deadline and probably get a better package than what is being offered now. The rush to trade takes away a certain amount of leverage, it’s (one of the reasons) why Ketel Marte is still a Diamondback
An entire off-season is no rush. If they wait , he also may get hurt or underperform.
Then so be it. It’s hardly an earth-shattering decision for the Cards. He’s pretty consistent though. I’d take that risk.
They sat on their hands with all the fans ready to move on from Helsley, Fedde etc last offseason and ended up empty handed and another year behind. They can’t do that again and risk the fanbase losing hope in this new regime’s plan.
Clearing the spot in the lineup and on the field is more important than any production Donny brings to the team.
It’s not urgent to move Donny before opening day, but it’s certainly preferable. And with the Braves now needing to fill a spot with HSK injured, the market looks like it has improved to get a couple of top 100 prospects in a Donovan move.
Donovan doesn’t play SS so that does nothing for the braves
No chance Albies slots to short on a semi-regular basis until Donnie can be traded and HSK recovers?
Ozzie has the experience (in the minors) and the arm and the Braves are needing affordable production after losing a key/expensive bat/glove in HSK. It’s a stretch, but what are the other options for the Braves? Donnie is $6m for ’26 and would have value in a trade.
If teams were offering 2 top 100 prospects, he’d already have been traded. I predict one and some lesser pieces.
The Cards are being patient for the larger return, but your scenario is probably more likely.
Yep, and more specifically I’d predict a pitching prospect as the #1 piece. That’s what the Cards want. They ain’t gonna accept a couple good position prospects who are blocked in their current systems, as of course everyone proposes.
It was worth holding on to those guys last year to take an outside chance at competing, and it almost worked. It just didn’t quite work out.
Excited to see Wetherholt. Kid was fun to watch in college and crushed the minors last year.
He could be a big part of the Cardinals next good run.
Did we just have 2 Cardinals posts in one day.
MLBTR staff: Do not tease me like this.!!
I just know StL is going to move on from Donovan all to hand over the reigns to Weatherholt who is destined to be the next Nolan Gorman
Don’t say that, Gorman never played college ball. Always had kinda high strikeout numbers and missed a year of development in 2020 when the minor league season was canceled due to covid 1984. Weatherholt is more of a contact guy, has frequenty batted above .300 in his pro ball days. Gorman only did that twice once in only 26 at bats durring the Arizona fall league. Theyre not the same profile at all. Weatherholt put up JD drew type stat line in college. Saggesse is the next Donovan/Edman type
Generally, the best prospects didn’t play college. Not sure why you think that’s a burn.
I dont think its a burn that Gorman didn’t play college ball, just a difference between the two. Jordan Walker didnt play college ball and also lost a year of development to covid 1984. I believe that missing that year was more crucial to both of them than not going to college. Ivan Herrera never went to college and that dude can flat out hit. Also lost a year to Covid 1984, but wasnt on the cusp of the majors like Walker and Gorman. Cardinals did walker no favors messing with his swing. He reminded me of Pujols a bit the way he hit line drive homeruns. He didnt need more lift
Turn the page, Carlos. The Cards are moving on from the MO era and are restoring the org emphasis on player development.
It’s a process, but good things are happening!
Gorman and Wetherholt are nothing alike
Gorman has huge power but always had questions about contact and defense. Wetherholt has no questions about anything except perhaps power. Wetherholt is a sure thing good player who might be great. And Gorman is still young his fate is yet to be determined.
Braves need to be in the market for this guy. Love me some oz, but he’s declining fast. Plus this guy can play plenty of positions.
Slots in for the injured HSK and maybe he sticks beyond just this season.
Donovan is not a SS. He’s only played 14 partial games there in his career.
“Winn won his first Gold Glove in 2025 despite playing through a martial meniscus tear …”
Is that supposed to be “partial” meniscus tear?
Marshall Meniscus Tear…the menfolk cowered and the womenfolk swooned and shed a tear when he came to town, young feller.
Marital meniscus tear. At least he was having fun while it was tearing.
A martial tear of his meniscus did not know that Wynn was called to war and was injured.
It was all part of the Marshall Plan.
Just trade Gorman. He’s never going to be anything but a strikeout machine
They are probably waiting hoping he can go on a two month tear at the plate and build his value. He really has zero value as he is.
My thoughts exactly baseball pun..
Then why would any other team trade for him?
They can have him for cash considerations. Maybe they want a lefty with 30 HR power and no contact skills.
Disclaimer: I dictated to Clause all the fine points I wanted to make and asked it to write it for me. It was precisely what I wanted to say but lengthy. I asked it to truncate it for brevity sake and while it glosses over some of the points it still Valerie the gist of things.
# The Curious Case of Baseball’s Selective Contact Hitter Love
We live in a strange baseball world where high-contact, low-power “table setters” like Nico Hoerner, Steven Kwan, and Brendan Donovan have become fan favorites despite relatively pedestrian OBPs (hovering around .330-.360) and minimal power. Yet functionally similar players like Luis Arraez—a batting champion with elite contact skills and better on-base ability—gets traded twice in two years and treated as expendable, while prospect Caleb Durbin had to fight for opportunities despite producing the exact profile teams claim to value. The inconsistency is even more absurd in the DH era: we now have 10 lineup spots across both leagues, eliminating the “where do you play him?” excuse that once justified overlooking these contact-oriented hitters. If you’re going to lionize Hoerner’s .330 OBP and praise Kwan’s slappy singles, you can’t dismiss Arraez’s .346 OBP or treat Durbin like a tweener when they provide comparable or superior production. The disconnect reveals that baseball’s player valuation is driven more by narrative, aesthetics, and positional prejudice than actual offensive contribution. Either high-contact table setters are valuable for getting on base and setting the table, or they’re not—the market can’t have it both ways.
Defensive versatility is also a key in Donovan and Hoerner. It is a copycat league and the successful teams of the past decade(Dodgers, Astros, Guardians…) have used the “solid bat multi position super utility” player to reach their goals. Everyone is now trying to get one of their own.
…forgot the Rays, they may have invented the idea drafting MI and shoving them all over since their athleticism was there and allowed for it.
If Luis Arraez could play defense like Kwan or Hoerner or even Donovan, he’d be looking at a nine figure contract—or at least a $25MM AAV.
19 qualifiers had an obp of .360 or better. There is nothing pedestrian about a .360 obp, when .317 is the mlb avg.
Brendan Donovan is living proof that a well cultivated mullet is worth millions.
Arraez is not an OBP player. In fact quite the opposite. He NEVER walks. Value-wise, even setting aside defense (where he’s among the worst in the game) Arraez can’t hold Donovan’s jock.
I know sports are an allegory for war, but this is the first martial meniscus tear I’ve encountered.
Donovan’s value will only decrease. Now is the time.
Or he could get off to a great start and it could increase.
Three.surgeries in the past three years tells me not to wait too long.
It really is. I hope they don’t wait until July.
Cardinals fans do a lot of chest-pounding about being the Best Fans In Baseball. But when the team started sliding, a lot of them changed in to outfits that look a lot like empty seats. We’ll see how they tolerate a real rebuild. I think we will find they are actually no better than other teams’ fans.
The BFIB designation was bestowed by players around the league and by writers outside baseball in stl.
The bar of quality play was set high for a long time and the bar has been lowering steadily over the last 6-7 years as the org has abandoned player development as a key tenet.
That era has passed, Mozeliak is gone, and the org has reinvested in coaching in the lower levels.
Cardinal fans aren’t fully accustomed to bad/mediocre baseball, but they’re certainly ready for it to be in the rear view. It’s a process and we’re here for it.
The older fans are good but a bit entitled. The newer fans are lame.
Fans want to root for a winner. Thats not unique. E
Do not trade him
Why? The team isn’t going to win for at least two years. This is a rebuild, so the sooner people embrace that reality, the sooner the team can start winning again.
You’d rather extend him? Because those are the options. He only has two years of control left, one of them is likely going to be a lockout year, and anyway the Cards aren’t even planning to be good again until ’28.
Well, yeah, I would rather extend Donovan. I don’t how likely that is, but it would be the best option.
Don’t trade him
Once more…didn’t catch it the first time.
If Donovan stays, for games when both Donovan and Weatherholt are starting in the infield, I’d rather see Weatherholt at 2B and Donovan at 3B rather than the other way around.
Yeah I kind of expected that Wetherholt was getting 2B when he was ready to go.
It’s fun watching Pozo.
He works his butt off and gets better every year. Don’t trade a guy like that.
Nolan Gorman is horrible and has no business starting or playing anywhere, The man struck out about 40% of his at bats last year.