Overreaction or reality? Takeaways from the Cardinals first Spring Training game

Brendan Donovan boasting more power this year

In the bottom of the 3rd inning with Paul DeJong on second base, Brendan Donovan took Wily Peralta deep to right field with a line-drive blast, 105.6 MPH off of the bat. Blake Newberry pointed out that he only had three batted balls over 105 MPH in 2022.

Donovan finished 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting in 2022 and was an on-base machine for the Cardinals, but the majority of his damage came in the gaps, not balls that go over the fence. It's well known that Donovan gained muscle this offseason and did similar programs to other Cardinals' to find the best bat for him.

After hitting just 5 home runs in 391 ABs, it's not a bold take to say Donovan will add some more power to his game in 2023. The combination of more plate appearances and improvement in his swing won't make him a slugger, but 12-15 HRs could be on the board for Donovan.

Overreacting or reality? Reality. Donovan will feature more power in his game, both in the gaps and over the fence, in 2023.