Cardinals Hit Jackpot, Landed Exciting Star in Brendan Donovan Trade

The Cardinals were able to land a haul in exchange for top infielder Brendan Donovan...

Sep 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (21) poses for a photo after Donovan is named the St. Louis Cardinals 2025 Roberto Clemente nominee prior to their game against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have made a slew of moves in the right direction this offseason. They've traded players like Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, and Willson Contreras to bolster their farm system and free up money off their payroll.

But the biggest move the Cardinals made this offseason was the blockbuster deal that sent All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners. The Tampa Bay Rays were also involved in the deal, making it a loaded three-team trade.

The Cardinals were able to net a haul in exchange for Donovan, which makes a lot of sense, considering how incredibly talented and versatile Donovan is. While the loss of Donovan will hurt St. Louis, the team can't be mad with the return.

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Bleacher Report's Joel Retuer recently shared a lot of high praise for Cardinals pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje and listed him as the sixth best prospect who was traded this offseason. Cijntje was acquired in the aforementioned three-team blockbuster that sent Donovan to the Mariners.

Cardinals landed a potential star in the Brendan Donovan trade

Jul 14, 2024; Ft. Worth, TX, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred takes a photo with Jurrangelo Cijntje after being drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the 15th pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"Drafted as a switch-pitcher, which is how he was utilized at Mississippi State, Cijntje will focus exclusively on working from the right side this spring as he pushes closer to reaching the big leagues," Reuter wrote. "There was a good chance this was always going to be his future, even when he was taken No. 15 overall in the 2024 draft, so the move away from pitching from both sides does nothing to lessen his prospect status."

Cijntje is one of the more intriguing players in the world because of his ability to switch pitch, but it seems like he's going to primarily focus on throwing from the right side.

While this will take away some of the "Wow!" factor with the young pitcher, it doesn't take away how dominant he is with his right arm.

Cijntje has been up near triple digits with his fastball from the right side. He's consistently in the zone with multiple pitches, too.

The Cardinals weren't going to land the biggest return immaginable for Donovan, but they managed to land a few star prospects. Adding Cijntje is a huge move in the right direction and he's certainly a name to keep an eye on this year.

More MLB: Brendan Donovan Trade Clears Way for Cardinals' Next Superstar