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Why the Cardinals need Brendan Donovan to be their Ben Zobrist, not primary 2B

By Josh Jacobs |
Cincinnati Reds v St. Louis Cardinals
Cincinnati Reds v St. Louis Cardinals / Scott Kane/GettyImages
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Brendan Donovan's versatility unlocks the Cardinals in a crucial way

The St. Louis Cardinals found another under-the-radar prospect turned impact Major Leaguer last season in Brendan Donovan, as he finished 3rd in National League Rookie of the Year Voting and won a Gold Glove at the utility spot. While Donovan recently ranked 7th among all second basemen according to MLB Network, his greatest value to the club will come if he is utilized more like Ben Zobrist.

Most fans would agree that Donovan's versatility makes him a real asset for the Cardinals, and yet, it's been easy to pencil him in at second base in starting lineups without thinking twice about it. When the Cardinals field their nine best players in any given lineup, it's likely that Donovan slots in at second base, but if the club were to lock him in there most days, it would likely take away from the club's overall potential.

There are a few different reasons why this has been the case though. First, the "disappointing" rookie season from Nolan Gorman (air quotes used intentionally, more on that later) has caused many to cast him aside as a secondary option, with his main path to at-bats being at the DH spot or when Donovan has a day off. On top of that, rule changes with the shift seem to have hurt Gorman's chances at being an average defensive second baseman even more, putting even more focus on Donovan being the everyday guy there.

Brendan Donovan should be an everyday player for St. Louis, but if things go the way they are hoping, he should not be an everyday second baseman. Let's look at exactly why Donovan should be used in the Ben Zobrist mold in 2023, and how it could actually look on a consistent basis.

Why Brendan Donovan needs to start at five different positions in 2023

During the 2022 season, Donovan played 38 games at second base, 27 in the outfield, 31 at third base, 16 at first base, 16 in the designated hitter spot, and 7 games at shortstop for St. Louis. While second base was his most played position, it accounted for just 29% of his total games during the year.

I would expect that number to rise this next year, but I still believe Donovan should fill a similar role once again in 2022. Few teams in baseball have a player that can long 40 or more games at multiple different positions and plays them at an above-average level, but the Cardinals have that luxury in Donovan. He really does fit the mold of former utility man Ben Zobrist, who played all over the diamond for the Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, and Chicago Cubs, and being a part of two World Series teams in the process.

Donovan posted a .394 OBP in 2022, and if he comes near that again in 2023, he would need to be a part of the Cardinals lineup on an everyday basis. Again, he'd be a very good everyday second baseman, a top 10 one at that, but moving him around the diamond allows the Cardinals to maximize their talent on a daily basis instead.

This is especially true if the Cardinals want to continue the development of Nolan Gorman. Gorman has been cast aside by many fans (as I referred to earlier), especially compared to the hype he was receiving back in May. Gorman was a top-20 prospect in all of baseball last season and continued to show his elite power in his first take of big league action, blasting 14 HR in 89 games. Gorman struggled with strikeouts during his rookie campaign and saw his OPS drop to .661 during the second half before being sent back down to Triple-A Memphis. Still, his power is undeniable.

If the club still believes Gorman can be an impact back, they need to find him consistent at-bats. Letting him be the designated hitter against right-handed pitching will go a long way toward that, but with so many other DH options as well, the club should let Gorman get plenty of run at second base as well. Gorman's continued development is a key part of the Cardinals' future, whether as a long-term answer in their lineup or a trade piece, so the Cardinals must continue to invest in him.

So how can the Cardinals make sure they still get plenty of at-bats for Donovan as well? Let's take a look at how his starts can break down throughout the year to be an everyday player but not clog up first base.

How Brendan Donovan's games should break down

First, let's look at the number of games he could fill in at other positions, and then break down how many games he should see at second base throughout the year. As the club's primary utility man, I think shooting for about 130 starts in a season is a good number, as he would still get enough off-days to recharge, and can be utilized some throughout the year as a late-game substitution.

First, Donovan should start at third base during any game if Nolan Arenado is not playing the position. He is easily their best option to play there when Arenado is not. In 2022, there were 31 games that Arenado either was the DH or had the day off, so let's give 31 starts again to Donovan at third.

Next up is first base. Goldschmidt logged 128 games at first in 2022, and as the club continues to try and save his bat as he ages, I could see him being the DH and resting even a bit more in 2023. Let's say he only plays first base 120 times in 2023. Donovan can take half of those starts then, and Juan Yepez can take the other half. So add 21 starts for Donovan at first base.

Shortstop seems like the most interesting position for Donovan to get starts at. If Paul DeJong struggles again in 2023, the club could consider giving increased starts at shortstop to Donovan instead. Honestly, unless DeJong is DFA-worthy, I don't think the club will have Donovan play there all that often. Let's give Donovan 5 starts there, but assume DeJong gets the majority of those.

While Donovan did see significant time in the outfield last year, I don't think St. Louis will need him to start any games out there next season. With Lars Nootbaar, Tyler O'Neill, Dylan Carlson, Jordan Walker, and Alec Burleson all already fighting for at-bats out there, I think Donovan's outfield usage will more so come in later game situations if the club wants to move him around due to lineup changes.

Let's assume the club will let him DH a few times again in 2023, so add another 5 starts there. So between first base, third base, shortstop, and designated hitter, that is 63 starts accounted for, leaving 77 games for Donovan to start at second base in 2023. While that number may seem low, it would mean he starts about 48% of the club's games at second base and leaves the other 52% for Gorman. The majority of Gorman's starts at second base would come when Donovan is filling in for another regular, or he is getting time off himself. If Gorman struggles in 2023, then Donovan can find himself playing second base more often than that, but this has to be the ideal scenario for St. Louis.

Donovan's ability to fill in for some of the Cardinals' starts around the diamond gives them lineup flexibility that few teams have and is something manager Oli Marmol should look to maintain next season. It also allows the Cardinals to continue to develop their young bats like Yepez, Gorman, and the outfield bats, by not taking away too many opportunities from them.

How do you think the Cardinals will utilize Donovan in 2023? Comment below.

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