St. Louis Cardinals trade Brendan Donovan

The St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, and Tampa Bay Rays have completed a three-team trade. The Cardinals are sending second baseman/leftfielder Brendan Donovan to the Mariners. The Mariners are sending starting pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, outfielder Tai Peete, and a competitive balance round B draft pick (no.68 overall) to the Cardinals. The Rays are sending outfielder Colton Ledbetter, and a competitive balance round B draft pick (no.72 overall) to the Cardinals. The Mariners are sending third baseman Ben Williamson to the Rays. 

Donovan, 29, hit .287 with 64 runs, 132 hits, 32 doubles, 10 home runs, 50 RBI's, 3 stolen bases, and 42 walks in 2025. Donovan also was an All-Star for the 1st time in his career in 2025. 

Donovan won a Gold Glove Award in 2022. 

Donovan had his best season in 2024. That season, Donovan hit .278 with 65 runs, 163 hits, 34 doubles, 3 triples, 14 home runs, 73 RBI's, 5 stolen bases, and 47 walks. The runs hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI's, and walks were all career highs for Donovan. The stolen bases tied a career high from 2024 for Donovan. 

Overall, Donovan has played 4 MLB seasons. Donovan has played 492 games with 241 runs, 498 hits, 97 doubles, 5 triples, 40 home runs, 202 RBI's, 15 stolen bases, 182 walks, and a .282 batting average. 

Cijntje, 22, was 5-7 with a 3.99 ERA, 26 games, 23 starts, 108.1 innings, 120 strikeouts, 51 walks, and a whip of 1.22 combined between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas in 2025. 

Cijntje is a switch-pitcher (can throw both left-handed and right-handed). 

Cijntje ranked as the Mariners' 7th-best prospect. 

Overall, Cijntje has played 1 minor league season.

Peete, 20, hit .217 with 58 runs, 103 hits, 24 doubles, 19 home runs, 63 RBI's, 25 stolen bases, and 46 walks with High-A Everett in 2025. The home runs were career highs for Peete. 

Peete had his best season in 2024, with Single-A Modesto. That season, Peete hit .269 with 72 runs, 126 hits, 26 doubles, 9 triples, 7 home runs, 71 RBI's, 45 stolen bases, and 55 walks. The runs, hits, doubles, triples, RBI's, stolen bases, and walks were all career highs for Peete.

Peete ranked as the Mariners' 11th-best prospect. 

Overall, Peete has played 3 minor league seasons. Peete has played 265 games with 141 runs, 257 hits, 54 doubles, 14 triples, 28 home runs, 154 RBI's, 76 stolen bases, 111 walks, and a .247 batting average.

Ledbetter, 24, hit .265 with 67 runs, 123 hits, 24 doubles, 4 triples, 7 home runs, 49 RBI's, 37 stolen bases, and 51 walks with Double-A Montgomery in 2025. The runs, hits, doubles, stolen bases, and walks were all career highs for Ledbetter. 

In 2024, with High-A Bowling Green, Ledbetter had career highs in triples (6), home runs (16), and RBI's (65).

Ledbetter ranked as the Rays' 24th-best prospect. 

Overall, Ledbetter has played 3 minor league seasons. Ledbetter has played 253 games with 142 runs, 251 hits, 53 doubles, 10 triples, 25 home runs, 126 RBI's, 74 stolen bases, 99 walks, and a .269 batting average. 

 

Williamson, 25, hit .253 with 36 runs, 70 hits, 13 doubles, 1 home run, 21 RBI's, 5 stolen bases, and 15 walks in 2025. Willamson made his MLB debut on April 15, 2025, at Great American Ball Park against the Cincinnati Reds.

Overall, Williamson has played 1 MLB season.

The Cardinals get a pretty good haul of prospects in return for Donovan. Cijntje could end up either as a starting pitcher or reliever. The Cardinals also now have 6 draft picks in this year's MLB draft in the top 100. 

It's good to see Donovan join a team that is ready to win. Donovan should be a good addition for the Mariners lineup.