Brendan Donovan has been a fixture in trade rumors for a while now, and with the Cardinals clearly leaning into a rebuild this offseason, his name is once again front and center. But just because the chatter is heating up doesn’t mean a deal is imminent.
St. Louis is reportedly holding firm on a high asking price, and unless another team meets that bar, Donovan might still be wearing a Cardinals uniform when Spring Training rolls around.
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom didn’t offer much in the way of specifics when speaking to reporters over the weekend at the team’s Winter Warm-Up event. But he did hint that, ideally, he’d like Donovan’s status resolved before camp opens. It wasn’t a hard deadline, but it felt like a subtle nudge to other teams: if you want Donovan, the clock’s ticking.
There’s a bit of gamesmanship here. On one hand, Bloom may be trying to create a sense of urgency among interested clubs.
On the other, it’s just practical. The Cardinals – and Donovan – have a season to prepare for, and dragging out trade talks into March doesn’t help anyone.
The longer this lingers, the more it risks becoming a distraction, especially for a player who brings value on both sides of the ball and across multiple positions.
Donovan is under team control through arbitration for two more seasons, so the Cardinals aren’t under any immediate pressure to move him. And with Nolan Arenado now in Arizona, the urgency to clear space in the infield has eased a bit. Donovan could slide into third base if needed, or continue to bounce around the diamond – a role he’s thrived in.
Arenado’s departure wasn’t just about opening up a spot on the field. Shedding some of his salary was part of the equation, but this was also about clearing the runway for a new wave of talent. The Cardinals want to see what their younger players can do with regular reps, and that includes guys like Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese, who now have a clearer path to more consistent playing time.
But the name that’s generating the most buzz is JJ Wetherholt. The 23-year-old infielder is knocking loudly on the door after a standout 2025 campaign that saw him tear through Double-A and Triple-A. Across both levels, Wetherholt slashed a combined .307/.421/.510 with 17 home runs and 23 steals, showing off a well-rounded offensive game that has evaluators excited.
He’s primarily a shortstop, but he logged time at second and third base last season, and the Cardinals are keeping their options open. If third base ends up being his ticket to the big leagues, his glove will need to be ready – and so far, the reviews have been strong. Both Bloom and manager Oliver Marmol spoke highly of Wetherholt’s defensive versatility and mindset, with Marmol calling it “special.”
“He’s got the kind of approach that allows him to thrive wherever we put him,” Marmol said. “That’s not something you see every day.”
Shortstop, however, is locked down. Masyn Winn isn’t going anywhere, especially after winning his first Gold Glove in 2025.
He played through a torn meniscus during the second half of the season and still managed to deliver elite defense. A minor arthroscopic procedure in September cleaned things up, and Bloom confirmed this weekend that Winn is fully on track for Spring Training – not even in rehab mode, just prepping like usual.
Behind the plate, Ivan Herrera is also trending in the right direction. After undergoing surgery in October to remove a bone spur from his throwing arm, Herrera has started his throwing program and is beginning to ramp up his full offseason work – including hitting, blocking, and receiving.
Herrera’s bat wasn’t an issue last year – he posted a .284/.373/.464 line with 19 homers in 107 games, despite mostly serving as the team’s DH due to his arm troubles. But his defensive future remains a question mark.
Even before the injury, there were concerns about his ability to stick behind the plate long-term. Spring Training will offer some answers, but as Marmol noted, it’s not the easiest environment to evaluate catchers.
“Pitchers are working on specific pitches, not game-planning,” Marmol said. “So it’s tough to get a full read during spring. But we’ll keep working on it.”
Herrera’s status has ripple effects across the roster. If he’s going to be used primarily as a DH again, the Cardinals will need two other catchers on the roster – likely Pedro Pages and either Yohel Pozo or Jimmy Crooks.
But if Herrera can handle even part-time duties behind the plate, that opens up some flexibility. It could mean Pozo and Crooks start the year in Triple-A, or that one becomes trade bait.
So while the Cardinals are clearly in a transitional phase, they’re not flying blind. There’s a plan taking shape – one that leans heavily on internal development and giving young talent a real shot to earn their place. Whether that includes Brendan Donovan remains to be seen, but the pieces are moving, and Spring Training is right around the corner.
