Cardinals $4 Million Key Piece Surprisingly Could Be On Trade Block

Will the Cardinals actually trade the utility man this winter?

Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to make some organization-altering changes this winter.

St. Louis is expected to part ways with some veterans and go with a youth approach for the 2025 season, but it has been reported mainly that high-priced players could be shipped out of town. Players like Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray have been frequently mentioned.

With the team in such flux right now, there's really no way to know what they are thinking. MLB Trade Rumors' Steve Adams put together a list of the top trade candidates this winter and surprisingly mentioned utility man Brendan Donovan.

"Donovan isn’t as pressing a case any of Arenado, Gray, (Willson Contreras), (Erick Fedde) or (Ryan Helsley) because he has three seasons of club control remaining, is more affordable and can more or less play anywhere on the diamond," Adams said. "That said, all of those factors will also make him appealing to other clubs. We know the Cardinals aren’t going to focus on contending for at least one of Donovan’s three remaining seasons, and if the goal is to beef up the farm system, listening to offers on one of the sport’s premier jacks of all trades makes good sense.

"A more aggressive approach in 2024 led to Donovan displaying career-best power numbers (14 homers, .140 ISO), a career-low walk rate (7.2%) and perhaps most surprisingly, a career-best strikeout rate (12.4%). He’s a good hitter who can handle all four infield spots and both outfield corners. Moving Donovan could make room for a number of young players, including Thomas Saggese and Nolan Gorman. Unless, well."

Donovan has been a key piece for the Cardinals and projected to make just $4 million in 2025. It makes to cut payroll but he can play all over the place and is inexpensive. They shouldn't move Donovan without a big return.

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