The Seattle Mariners, who have been trying to get St. Louis Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan since early November, finally got their man Monday in a three-way trade that included the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Cardinals, who are in a massive rebuild, will receive prized pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje and minor-league outfielder Tai Peete, according to two persons with direct knowledge of the trade. Seattle also is sending young third baseman Ben Williamson to the Tampa Rays for a prospect and a Comp B draft pick. The Rays are sending minor-league outfielder Colton Ledbetter to St. Louis.
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The trade has been agreed upon in principle, but the sides are awaiting medical results before it become official.
Donovan, an All-Star last season and Gold Glove winner in 2022 as a utilityman, headlines the package. While scouts are divided about his best position between second base and left field, 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.
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The acquisition of Donovan 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. That group came within eight outs of Seattle’s first World Series appearance ever before falling in ALCS Game 7 to Toronto.
Now, they’ve replaced Jorge Polanco with Donovan, a move that might make them AL favorites in 2026.
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For the Cardinals, Donovan represents the last major player to be sent packing in their 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.
MORE: Ranking all 30 MLB farm systems ahead of the 2026 season
Cijntje, selected with the 15th pick in the 2024 draft, is the best prospect in the trade. He actually throws right-handed and left-handed, but his stuff from the left side isn’t as advanced, and the Mariners were planning to have him pitch exclusively right-handed this spring. Peete was a first-round pick in the 2023 draft.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brendan Donovan goes to Mariners from Cardinals in three-team trade
