Recent Ketel Marte news boosts Brendan Donovan's trade value for Cardinals

As of January 9th, Brendan Donovan is still a St. Louis Cardinal. Despite heavy interest and rumors swirling, Donovan hasn't been traded by president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom. Player names have been discussed in various packages, but they haven't been enough for Bloom to budge from his asking price.

Teams have been waiting out Chaim Bloom thus far, hoping he would lower his price. With other free agent second basemen (Bo Bichette, for example) as options, teams were able to wait for Bloom to lessen his price tag. Ketel Marte, a superior hitter to Donovan with more team control, was also a target for several teams at second base via trade.

That calculus has now changed.

With Ketel Marte staying put in Arizona, Brendan Donovan's stock rises dramatically.

On Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Ketel Marte will not be traded this offseason. Instead, the Diamondbacks will hold onto their All-Star second baseman for the 2026 season. "The Arizona Diamondbacks ended weeks of speculation about the status of All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte on Friday, determining they will not trade him, a person with the team told The Athletic," wrote Rosenthal.

With trade speculation being squashed by the Diamondbacks, teams who were interested in Marte must now go hunting elsewhere for a player to fill their keystone position. That player could be Brendan Donovan for many.

Donovan, a one-time All-Star and Gold Glove recipient, avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.8 million deal with the Cardinals. This meager salary for his services both on the field and in the clubhouse should make him an extremely attractive trade piece for any contending team. Donovan has a career OPS+ of 117, making him 17% better than the average hitter at his position. He is also able to play second base, third base, left field, right field, and even shortstop in a pinch. He's under team control for both 2026 and 2027.

With Marte off the market, Donnie immediately becomes the most attractive trade candidate at second base, even with recent rumors surrounding Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs. Donovan's clubhouse leadership abilities paired with his plus offense and defense make him a plug-and-play utility player who has yet to hit his 30s.

The Cardinals have been rumored to have high asks for Donovan's services. At least one top-50 prospect along with another top-100 prospect has been the bar according to reports, and Chaim Bloom could now get that given the number of teams truly interested in just Brendan Donovan. Prospects of that caliber would be game changers for the Cardinals' farm system, one that has seen huge improvements in just 12 months.

It will be difficult to see Brendan Donovan, a fan favorite, depart St. Louis via trade. However, the return he could get the Cardinals would help the organization's long-term health. With Ketel Marte now off the market, Brendan Donovan's stock has risen dramatically. A trade of the All-Star could be imminent.