ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – MAY 25: Brendan Donovan #33 of the St. Louis Cardinals scores a run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Busch Stadium on May 25, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
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The St. Louis Cardinals have a new voice, and a very well respected baseball mind at the helm of player operations.
Chaim Bloom, 43, has replaced John Mozeliak as president of baseball operations for the Cardinals.
Bloom has an outstanding track record for recognizing baseball talent.
Bloom was prominent front office baseball operations roles with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox, and now the St. Louis Cardinals.
Once a consistently feared Major League Baseball franchise, the Cardinals have not fielded a playoff team since they lost a National League Wild Card series to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022.
Missing the playoffs three consecutive seasons, the Cardinals have had issues with roster construction, aging players, and player payroll concerns.
Now, it seems fans of the Cardinals, among the best and most loyal in MLB, may have renewed hope.
Bloom and his staff have already made an impact on the 2026 Cardinals roster.
The roster churning began in late November.
The Cardinals traded right-handed pitcher, Sonny Gray, and cash considerations to the Boston Red Sox, in exchange for RHP Richard Fitts, left-handed pitching prospect Brandon Clarke, and a player to be named later, or cash.
Fitts, 26, may win a spot in the back-end of the Cardinals rotation.
Clarke, 22, is already ranked the No. 7 prospect in the Cardinals prospect rankings by MLB.com.
For this old scout, four additional veteran players would make excellent trade chips for St. Louis to use in upgrading their major league roster.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 21: Nolan Arenado #28 of the St. Louis Cardinals acknowledges the fans after being ceremoniously removed from the game prior to playing against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium on September 21, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
Getty Images1- Nolan Arenado-3B
Two years remain on Arenado’s contract. He will make $27M in 2026, and 15M in 2027.
Arenado has a no trade clause in his contract.
The Cardinals will likely have to pay much of his remaining contract to trade him.
There are other Cardinals assets that make sense to trade:
2-Brendan Donovan=INF/OF3-Lars Nootbaar=OF4-JoJo Romero=RP
This writer will concentrate on Brendan Donovan as the most compelling and skilled trade chip for the Cardinals.
St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Slade Cecconi during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.About Brendan Donovan:
A left-handed hitter, Brendan Donovan is 5-11, 210 pounds.
Donovan turns 29 January 16.
According to Sportico.com, Donovan will make $5,750,000 in 2026, which is a reasonable salary that any major league baseball team should be able to afford for a player with Donovan’s skills.
Donovan has one year of arbitration remaining before he can become a free agent in 2028.
Donovan was a 7th round pick of the Cardinals in the 2018 MLB draft.
From the time he was drafted, Donovan has been seen as a player with an excellent hit tool, with little power.
His game has always been to get on base, and let the thunder in the lineup drive him home.
Donovan is a superb leadoff hitter, who uses good pitch recognition, patience, and plate discipline to select the right pitch to hit to the correct part of the playing field.
Selected out of the University of South Alabama, reports indicated Donovan received a signing bonus of $200,300.
Listed as the No. 13 Cardinals prospect in 2022 by Baseball America, Donovan has exceeded his draft position expectations in parts of four seasons playing at the major league level.
St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan returns to the dugout after scoring on a two-run single hit in by Jordan Walker during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Donovan’s best season was 2025, when he made the National League All Star Team, and hit .287/.353/.422/.775, with 32 doubles, 10 homers, and 50 RBIs in 515 plate appearances.
With a keen eye at the plate, and excellent pitch selection, Donovan struck out only 67 times. He went to the plate to hit, walking only 42 times.
Donovan has excellent contact skills, as he has a knack for taking a pitch where it is thrown, and using the entire field.
Because he is more of a well disciplined contact hitting “table setter,” Donovan has not flashed much power in 2,006 career plate appearances.
A good defensive player, Donovan won a Gold Glove in 2022 with St. Louis for his work as a utility player.
A solid second baseman, and good left fielder, Donovan’s defensive versatility is an asset.
Brendan Donovan doesn’t have much speed, and he won’t steal many bases.
There are a number of MLB teams that would covet a player with Brendan Donovan’s contact skills.
Donovan’s ability to get on base and score, would be attractive to teams looking for good players with some team control and moderate contracts, like:
Cleveland GuardiansDetroit TigersPittsburgh PiratesKansas City Royals Colorado RockiesSan Francisco Giants
It will be interesting to watch Chaim Bloom navigate the offseason to help bring his St. Louis Cardinals back to prominence.