The St. Louis Cardinals have been one of the more aggressive teams in the league this offseason. They’ve moved Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray in a pair of deals with the Boston Red Sox.
But the Cardinals still have their most valuable trade chip: Brendan Donovan. Donovan will likely be dealt to take advantage of his value before he makes it to free agency.
Garrett Kerman of ClutchPoints put together a trade package that would send Donovan to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for prospects Jurrangelo Cijntje and Lazaro Montes.
“The Mariners would be the ones to have Brendan Donovan in exchange,” Kerman wrote last week. “This design satisfies both sides’ requirements while at the same time handling the existing organizational assets that have substantial potential but an uncertain timeline of contribution to the major league level.”
The Mariners are the perfect landing spot for Donovan. Donovan’s best attribute is his versatility, which is something the Mariners need.
Seattle could play him at second base to replace Jorge Polanco, but it could also play him at third base in place of Eugenio Suárez. Suárez is still a free agent, as of Wednesday, and it seems like he’s going to bolt for a new team this winter.
As a result, adding Donovan would be a huge move.
But this trade package is a severe overpay for Donovan. The Mariners shouldn’t look to cut ties with either top prospect to acquire the veteran infielder. Instead, they could send a slew of slightly lower-ranked prospects to St. Louis for the All-Star.
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