The St. Louis Cardinals trade deadline fate is yet to be determined. Whether the Cards buy or sell will depend on their next two months. As of this writing, St. Louis is sitting around .500 and waffling on the balance beam. The Cards have plenty of veteran talent they could trade away to jumpstart their rebuild. That being said, doing so would be forfeiting this season – and who knows if the Cards current crop of young stars can win on their own?
If the Cardinals do choose to sell, the likes of Nolan Arenado and Ryan Helsley are almost certain to be dealt. However, they are not alone. Could Brendan Donovan, with two-plus years left on his contract, be traded away as well?
Donovan may be the Cardinals most attractive trade asset. His contract is affordable, and he's still in his arbitration years. He's making less than $3 million this season, and is hitting .328 with a 2.00 WAR. Donovan can also play several positions, including second base, third base and left field. He'd be an expensive, yet worthwhile addition for any true contender.
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Brandon Donovan is expendable thanks to Cardinals prospect JJ Wetherholt
What makes Donovan expendable is the emergence of Double-A infielder JJ Wetherholt, who is just 22 years old and slashing .284 with an .828 OPS. While power is not his strong suit, Wetherhold can play multiple positions on the infield (much like Donovan) and is a former first-round selection. He's knocking on the door for promotion.
Wetherholt is a shortstop by trade and the No. 20 overall prospect in MLB. However, with Masyn Winn manning that position in MLB, Wetherholt figures to play second or third base. As much as the Cards would prefer not to trade Donovan, if Wetherholt can replace him, then why not bring in a loaded prospect package in return. Here are some notes on Wetherholt per MLB Pipeline:
"The former Mountaineer is still an above-average runner down the line despite the injuries. He opened his college career with time at second and third but moved to short in 2024, a transition he continued in the Minors. He has the arm and athleticism to handle the six but will bump into Masyn Winn at the position if he continues up the St. Louis chain, at which time a move elsewhere shouldn't be a major concern."
The likelihood of St. Louis trading Donovan away while leading the NL Central (or within striking distance) is slim barring an offer they cannot turn down. However, St. Louis has two months to decide, and the phone calls should start any day now if they haven't already.