The long-awaited Brendan Donovan trade that saw the Mariners acquire the talented infielder from the St. Louis Cardinals brings a lot of dividnd. It brings the club a top-of-the-order hitter with a .282 career batting average, it adds a young (29) leader who is also a former Gold Glove winner.
But most of ll, Donovan’s arrival in the Emerald City carries some extra icing on the cake. His .361 lifetime on-base percentage means the middle of the lineup will have more RBI opportunities. And Mariners manager Dan Wilson has a high-level fielder that he ca insert in four different spots on the field, or switch him from the infield to the outfield etc, depending what strategy he decides to employ.
But the player who may end up benefiting the most is rookie Colt Emerson. The Mariners’ top prospect was almost penciled into second or third base to start the year (and still might be). As the Mariners struggled to add a veteran bat for weeks, it looked like he wouldn’t just be pressed into duty, but he would be handed a big chunk of the offensive responsibilities now. Thanks to Donovan, the 20-year-old rising star can ease his way into his initial MLB season, as MLB.com recently pointed out.
“It’s not often that a prospect headlines a team with World Series aspirations, but that’s just how bullish the club is on Emerson, who has as much upside as any homegrown position player since Julio RodrÃguez played his way onto the Opening Day roster in 2022,” MLB.com posted on Monday. “Emerson, who’s just 20 years old, will be given that same opportunity, but there’s also less pressure on him to perform right away after the club’s splashy trade for Brendan Donovan, who will be used primarily at second and third base, the positions that Emerson has the cleanest path to play.”
How Emerson & Donovan will work together
Apr 16, 2025; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals infield Brendan Donovan (33) throws to first after Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3, not shown) grounded out in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images
With Donovan the top candidate for the top of the order and catcher Cal Raleigh most comfortable hitting second, Emerson can bat near the bottom of the order until he proves that he can move up in the order.
Although shortstop is Emerson’s natural position, JP Crawford is firmly entrenched there. With Donovan’s presence, the M’s can find out which base works best for both players — and potentially change at any point in the season. That, along with any mentorship he can get from the veteran, could lead Kid Colt to an even better year in the Pacific Northwest than he would have had before the trade.
More Seattle Mariners News & OpinionsHow many Seattle Mariners are predicted to make the All-Star team in 2026?ESPN host tells Mariners fans about Brendan Donovan, ‘You’re going to love this guy’Can Mariners star Julio Rodriguez join the vaunted 40-40 Club this season?The Mariners and Yankees look like two teams destined to meet in the 2026 postseasonSeattle host says Mariners’ trade for Brendan Donovan is ‘what contending teams do’