Cardinals All-Star Available For 'Extremely High Price'

The St. Louis Cardinals have been busy on the trade block and right now all eyes remain on All-Star utility man Brendan Donovan.

Donovan quickly emerged as a legit trade candidate after the 2025 season came to an end. He's coming off the best season of his career and his first All-Star appearance. In 2025, Donovan slashed .287/.353/.422 with 10 homers, 50 RBIs, 32 doubles, and 64 runs scored in 118 games played. He missed time due to injuries, but when he was on the field, he was incredible.

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Another thing that makes Donovan stand out is his presence in the clubhouse. Early on in 2025, he was praised over and over for essentially stepping into a leadership position vacated by Paul Goldschmidt when he exited in free agency.

Donovan remains the talk of the trade block but where does the market stand? ESPN's Jeff Passan addressed it when asked by a fan on Threads.

The Cardinals All-Star is available

Sep 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (21) take his position against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

"Nope," Passan wrote when asked if the price for Donovan will come down. "And it's not going to. The Cardinals do not need to trade Brendan Donovan. They can move him at the deadline. They can move him next winter. His consistency is among his best attributes, and his value is unlikely to crater between now and then. So, Chaim Bloom should do exactly what he's doing: set an extremely high price and know that teams valuing flexibility will continue wanting him."

It has been reported that the Cardinals want at least two high-end prospects for Donovan. Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reported that the Seattle Mariners are willing to include at least switch-pitcher prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje in a deal for Donovan.

As of writing, the Cardinals have swung two separate major trades in Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras. A deal centered around Donovan would likely bring back the biggest return. But is a team willing to meet a rightfully high asking price from St. Louis? That is the question. Even if Donovan doesn't get moved, there could be other trades on the way, like Nolan Arenado.

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