5 best fits for Brendan Donovan as Cardinals near end of his trade saga

#1 - Seattle Mariners

While the Yankees are a close second in terms of fit for me, the Seattle Mariners continue to be the team that makes the most sense for a Brendan Donovan trade, and if a deal goes down, both parties could walk away very happy with the results.

The Mariners are coming off a dream season, coming so close to their first-ever World Series appearance behind their young core and an all-time great season from catcher Cal Raleigh. But as we all know, championship windows can shrink fast, so taking advantage of the window they have right now is critical.

For years, the Mariners' offense seemed to hold them back time and time again, but behind Raleigh's 60 home run campaign, Julio Rodriguez's continued stardom, and recent acquisitions of Randy Arozarena, Josh Naylor, and Jorge Polanco, Seattle's offense became a major strength to go alongside their excellent rotation and lockdown bullpen.

Polanco just left in free agency, and while the rest of their offense remains in place, it's not really fair of them to expect Raleigh to put up another all-time great season or for prospects to replace the 130 wRC+ production they got from Polanco. Adding a very good bat like Donovan would be huge for this roster's chances of winning the World Series in 2026.

Seattle boasts one of the best farm systems in baseball, and that, paired with young pitching already at the Major League level, gives them all the tools to make a Donovan trade while remaining in a position of strength in every area. 2025 third-overall pick Kade Anderson, righty Ryan Sloan, and switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje headline their pitching prospects currently, and an arm like Bryce Miller in their big league rotation could also be of interest to St. Louis.

Anderson is off the table in trade talks, and it's hard to see Seattle parting with Sloan either. Sloan's plus fastball, slider, and change-up have made him a dream play for Cardinals fans, but my guess is he won't be someone they could get back in a deal.

Cijntje is a top 100 prospect who has already been linked to the Cardinals by Katie Woo, and while he presents a ton of intrigue as a switch pitcher, he is much better from the right side. Outfielder Lazaro Montes, another top 100 prospect, has also been linked to the Cardinals due to his big-time power that grades out as a 70 currently. Infielder Michael Arroyo and outfielder Tai Peete also present intriguing options for St. Louis.

If the Cardinals are going to trade Brendan Donovan, the Seattle Mariners seem to present them with the best possible return here, and they can make that kind of deal while keeping their farm system in a strong place and being primed to compete for a World Series.

Odds are Donovan is playing for a different team in 2026, so we'll wait and see which team meets the Cardinals' asking price.