Seattle Mariners land All-Star infielder in three-team trade

The Seattle Mariners acquired second baseman Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, a three-team trade including the Tampa Bay Rays that sends an All-Star infielder to the Pacific Northwest.

Donovan, 29, was among the league’s best in expected batting average (.280) and strikeout rate (13.0%) last season, slashing .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs, 50 RBI and 42 walks. The Mariners dealt infielder Ben Williamson to Tampa Bay and sent switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, outfielder Tai Peete and a 2026 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick (No. 68 overall) to St. Louis in exchange for the versatile, left-handed-hitting Donovan.

“It’s tough to imagine a better fit for our current team than Brendan,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said. “His combination of offensive skill, defensive versatility, consistency in performance, baseball instincts, and quality of character line up with what we value most.”

Here’s a full breakdown of Monday’s trade, completed two weeks before position players report for spring training:

Mariners receive: INF Brendan Donovan

Cardinals receive: RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, OF Colton Ledbetter, OF Tai Peete, 2026 Comp. Balance Round B pick (No. 68 overall), 2026 Comp. Balance Round B pick (No. 72 overall)

Rays receive: INF Ben Williamson

Donovan spent the majority of his 2025 season at second base, though he’s logged nearly 270 major league innings at third. The All-Star could play either position for the Mariners, easing pressure on second baseman Cole Young and top infield prospect Colt Emerson to become instant defensive fixtures.

Donovan fills two needs in 2026, a top-of-the-lineup contact hitter and everyday infielder after the Mariners lost Jorge Polanco (New York Mets) and Eugenio Suarez (Cincinnati Reds) in free agency. It’s why rumors of a Donovan-to-Seattle deal swirled for weeks.

“Brendan brings a unique blend of elite top-of-the-lineup traits and versatility that makes him a perfect fit for our roster,” Mariners general manager of baseball operations Justin Hollander said. “We are excited to welcome him to Seattle.”

Monday’s deal is just the fifth three-team trade in Mariners history and the first since 2018.

Donovan debuted for the Cardinals in 2022, a career .282 hitter across 492 games. He won the Rawlings NL Gold Glove at the utility position for his rookie season, finishing third in 2022 NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Cijntje, 22, was selected by the Mariners with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and immediately turned heads as a switch-pitcher, throwing both right- and left-handed. He delivered a 3.99 ERA with 120 strikeouts and 51 walks in 23 starts between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas last season, considered Seattle’s No. 7 prospect by Baseball America.

Peete, 20, was Seattle’s No. 10 prospect and transitioned to the outfield after the Mariners selected the former infielder late in the first round of the 2023 draft. In 125 games for High-A Everett in 2025, Peete hit .217 with 19 home runs, 63 RBI, and 25 stolen bases.

Williamson, 25, made his major league debut with the Mariners in 2025, appearing in 85 games at third base before the arrival of Eugenio Suarez. The 2023 second-round pick hit .253 with one home run, 21 RBI, and five stolen bases.

Seattle Mariners land All-Star infielder in three-team trade

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