The Seattle Mariners, who have been trying to get St. Louis Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan since the World Series concluded, finally got their man Monday in a three-way trade that included the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Mariners’ price was steep, giving up two prospects and a draft pick to grab the man who they believe could be the missing piece for their first World Series appearance.
The Cardinals, who are in a massive rebuild, will receive prized pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje and outfield prospect Tai Peete from Seattle; outfield prospect Colton Ledbetter from Tampa; and two Comp B draft picks — the 68th overall from Seattle and the 72nd overall from Tampa.
The Tampa Bays will receive young third baseman Ben Williamson from the Mariners.
Donovan, an All-Star last season and Gold Glove winner in 2022 as a utilityman, headlines the package. While scouts are divided about Donovan’s best position between second base and left field, he is expected to primarily play third base for the Mariners. The reality is that his best position is at the plate. He has a career .282 batting average with a .361 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage with 40 homers and 97 doubles with a .772 OPS. He struck out in just 13% of his plate appearances last season.
The acquisition of Donovan, 29, who will be a free agent after 2027, gives the Mariners five players at the top of the lineup who made the All Star team in the past two seasons, joining Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena.
For the Cardinals, Donovan represents the last major player to be sent packing in the Cardinals’ massive rebuild. They traded ace Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras earlier this winter in separate trades to the Boston Red Sox, and Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenando was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Their payroll is expected to be the lowest in the NL Central, dropping below $100 million.
Cijntje, selected with the 15th pick in the 2024 draft, is the best prospect in the trade, ranking as baseball’s 91st-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Cijntje actually throws right-handed and left-handed, but the Mariners were planning to have him pitch exclusively right-handed this spring. Peete was the No. 30 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
The Mariners, who are now AL West favorites, believe this could be the finishing touch to a season to remember.
The Cardinals, who have traded eight players off their major-league roster since last year’s trade deadline, are hoping they have the makings of a team that can be competitive again in a few years.
And for the Rays, they got the right-handed third baseman they’ve been seeking, trying to stay relatively competitive in the loaded AL East.
Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale.