Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Cardinals receive: RHP Bryce Miller, Outfielder Tai Peete (No. 12 prospect)
Mariners receive: Infielder Brendan Donovan, LHP JoJo Romero, RHP Tanner Franklin (No. 20 prospect)
Here’s why:
First and foremost, this is a mock trade and is one person’s opinion. Some may love it, some may hate it. But let’s dive in. Jude reported that the Mariners have interest in Donovan and also reported they have interest in Romero, which is why those two names were mentioned. In this scenario, the Mariners get an All-Star utility man, a reliever coming off a big year, and a lottery prospect.
The Cardinals get a 27-year-old pitcher who won’t be a free agent until 2030 and a lottery ticket prospect of their own. It would be awesome to get Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, or George Kirby, but that just doesn’t seem realistic. Miller had a 2.94 ERA in 31 starts in 2024. He struggled a bit in 2025, but if the Cardinals could get a hold of someone like Miller, it would be worth getting a trade done. He has No. 1 upside and would give the Cardinals much-needed stability.