Mariners get their man with 3-team trade for Brendan Donovan

The Mariners have acquired the All-Star utility player from the Cardinals, in a three-team trade which sees three players leaving Seattle.

The Seattle Mariners have ended their offseason how they started it, with a bang. Just as they made headlines with the first big move of the winter by signing Josh Naylor to a five-year deal, they now similarly end it with another deal which will reverberate around the majors.

As first reported by Katie Woo and Chad Jennings of The Athletic, (subscription required), the Mariners have agreed a trade for Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals. ESPN‘s Jeff Passan was the first to report that the Tampa Bay Rays would be the third team, with the trade breaking down as follows:

• The Mariners send prospects pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (number 7 for the M’s), outfielder Tai Peete (11) and a 2026 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick (68th overall) to the Cardinals, as well as Ben Williamson to the Rays.
• The Rays send outfield prospect Colton Ledbetter and a competitive balance round B pick (72nd overall) to the Cardinals.
• The Cardinals send infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan to the Mariners.

This is a tremendous acquisition for the Mariners, who have been in pursuit of Donovan for a while. President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto had said during the weekend at FanFest that something big was in the works and he was true to his word, in adding the quality infield bat the M’s were looking for to further strengthen their lineup.

Mariners mean business by adding Brendan Donovan

Donovan is coming off a season where he earned his first All-Star selection, but has been pretty consistent throughout his four years to date in the majors. He has a career .282/.361/.411 slash line, .772 OPS, 117 OPS+ and 11.1 bWAR.

For last season specifically, the 29-year-old batted a career-high .287 and with his Baseball Savant page offering plenty of reason for further encouragement. Among other things, he ranked in the 96th percentile for Squared-Up %, 95th percentile for Whiff % and 94th percentile for LA Sweet-Spot %.

The defensive capability is also there as evidenced by a Gold Glove in Donovan’s rookie year of 2022, but what also helps is his versatility. Although mostly utilized as a second baseman, he has also seen time at all other three infield spots and the corner outfield positions. (Heck, he’s even played as DH.)

The thinking is that Donovan will be placed at or at least near the top of the lineup, with it being noteworthy that leadoff was a position of collective struggle for the Mariners last season. Fans will surely be thrilled about the prospect of seeing him alongside the likes of Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena.

Donovan won’t prove to be much of a financial liability for the Mariners this year, after recently agreeing a $5.8 million deal with the Cardinals to avoid arbitration. The M’s will have another season of club control, before he becomes a free agent following the 2027 campaign.

• Exploring Jadarian Price’s Impact on Seahawks’ Offense
• Seattle Storm’s Preseason Breakdown: Stats and Highlights
• Mariners complete strong road trip but Matt Brash causes concern
• Key Takeaways from Seattle Storm’s Thrilling Preseason Match
• FIFA Empowers Afghan Women Footballers with Historic Regulation Change

Some promising talent headed out of Seattle

As for the players the Mariners lost, it is a particular shame to see Williamson leave given his outstanding defensive abilities, but he certainly fits the mold as the type of player the Rays love. It will be interesting to see what the M’s do at third base now, as Colt Emerson may or may not be ready for his Major League debut come opening day.

At the very worst Emerson is still projected to play in the majors at some point in 2026, but perhaps Donovan could fill the need in the interim, having played 46 games at the hot corner. This could in turn lead to Cole Young seeing more time at second base, at least until whenever Emerson is ready.

Turning to the prospects, Cijntje was intriguing especially with his ability as a switch-pitcher. M’s general manager Justin Hollander did announce during FanFest that the 22-year-old would focus on throwing right-handed moving forward, at it will be interesting to see if the Cardinals stick with this. (The evidence does suggest it’s better for Cijntje s future prospects if he focuses on being a righty.)

Finally, Peete had been with the Mariners since being selected 30th overall in the first round of the 2023 draft. He has batted .247 with a .724 OPS across three minor league seasons, including coming off a full year in High-A Everett, and is still only 20.

Overall, while you can contend that three players was too much we’re not going to lose much sleep about it in this particular case. If anything we’re more concerned about the draft pick the Mariners gave up, given that it takes away the chance to add a second round level quality of talent to the farm system in this year’s draft.

Team statements about the trade

Dipoto: “It’s tough to imagine a better fit for our current team than Brendan. His combination of offensive skill, defensive versatility, consistency in performance, baseball instincts, and quality of character line up with what we value most.”

Hollander: “Brendan brings a unique blend of elite top-of-the-lineup traits and versatility that makes him a perfect fit for our roster. We are excited to welcome him to Seattle.”

Photos court​‌esy of Tim Rogers Photography & Mariners Media

While there are always more moves a team can make, are you now satisfied with the offseason by the Mariners after acquiring Donovan? Irrespective, what kind of impact are you predicting for him in Seattle this coming season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.