"With the Cardinals now embarking on a full rebuild period, it might be surprising if Brendan Donovan is still on the St. Louis roster by Opening Day. With two years of arbitration control remaining over Donovan, the Cards don't necessarily have to move him this winter, as they could wait until the trade deadline or even next offseason if the offers just aren't up to par over the next four months."
"Age? Donovan turns 29 in January. Salary? Donovan is projected to earn $5.4MM in his second trip through the arbitration process, so his total cost over his two remaining arb years should fall within the $14MM-$15MM range at most. Offense? Donovan has a career 119 wRC+ from his .282/.361/.411 slash line and 40 home runs, and he has been one of the game's most difficult players to strike out during his four MLB seasons."
"There are a couple of downsides to acknowledge, such as Donovan's career splits (.812 OPS against right-handed pitching, .651 OPS against left-handed pitching). Some teams may view the left-handed hitting Donovan primarily as a strong-side platoon player more than a true everyday player. Even the Cardinals limited his exposure to southpaws, both as a function of these splits and because the Cards also wanted to get some playing time to their right-handed bats."
Brendan Donovan is a 28-year-old versatile player who turns 29 in January and remains under two years of arbitration control. He is projected to earn about $5.4MM in his next arbitration year, keeping his two-year cost roughly $14M–$15M. Donovan offers a strong offensive profile (career .282/.361/.411, 119 wRC+, 40 homers) and elite strikeout avoidance across four MLB seasons. He provides defensive value, winning the NL utility Gold Glove in 2022 and playing all four infield spots plus corner outfield. Downsides include pronounced platoon splits (.812 OPS vs. RHP, .651 vs. LHP) and recent arm and groin-related procedures.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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