4 top prospects Cardinals are eyeing in a Donovan deal ..2 Mariners & 2 Giants

[renostl]

I would like Montes and cijntje Montes is the kind of outfield prospect they need to go with Baez. He’s got big time power and gets on base. Strikes out a lot though but he gets on base

Montes' loudest tool is still his top-of-the-scale raw power from the left side of the plate, and he's continuing to learn how to get to that pop consistently in games. He has outstanding bat speed with plenty of loft in his swing to drive the ball in the air, and he can regularly register elite-level exit velocities. There is some swing-and-miss to his game and there will always be strikeouts, but he also draws walks (14.4 percent walk rate in 2024) as he's learning to find better pitches to hit. He models his game after and is often compared to fellow Cuban Yordan Alvarez.

He is slow and below average defensively so only corner OF and very likely could end up being a DH due to defensive woes. He is a beast though that can launch the ball with the best of them.

Him and Baez at the corners would make for a pretty good outfield

More unproven talent that will take the Cards to the promised land. Hallelujah! Pass the plate. LOL

Well Donovan hasn’t and won’t take the cardinals to the promised land so pretty dumb to keep him. It’s hilarious some people think Donovan is the type of player you build a team around

Name a starting Cardinal infield that's better without him in it. What we have here is Schrodinger's Donovan. He's too good to not get multiple top tier prospects but yet he's not good enough to keep as a Cardinal. LOL

They’re not trading him because they think the infield will be better without him

Actually, they are.
They are clearing 2b for Wetherholt because they do believe Wetherholt makes the infield better.
Zero dispute.
If they choose to keep Donovan, it would be because they would view him as making the OUTFIELD better.

Actually they aren’t. If they wanted the infield to be significantly better they would trade the unikkorn and have Donovan and JJ at second and third but they don’t plan on extending Donovan so it’s better to trade him while his value is at its highest instead of being dumb and keeping him like they did with Fedde and helsley. As it stands the infield will be worse trading Donovan and having Gorman sucking at third so no they aren’t expecting it to be better unless they are dumb

We disagree.
They are not ready to give up on Gorman because he is the only LH HR hitting, RBI producing, bat on the roster who can be leveraged at 3b and 2B.
And it is Donovan, not Gorman, blocking Wetherholt at 2b.
Rightly or wrongly, Bloom believes Wetherholt has a far higher ceiling than Donovan (whose ceiling is already established).
If Donovan is traded, it will be because Bloom believes Wetherholt at 2b makes the infield better, period.
Now, if he wanted to improve the outfield, he would simply move Donovan to LF (which is, of course, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION).
But Bloom seems to prefer a different direction currently.
This is the reality of the situation.

Yes I disagree. The infield would be better offensively and defensively with Donovan and JJ at second and third. Gorman sucks and is a step down from even arenado. The only reason they are trading Donovan is because he is their most valuable trade asset and they are rebuilding

If Wetherholt was not poised to take over 2nd base, Bloom would not be shopping Donovan.
If there was no Wetherholt, Donovan would be penciled in to play 2b next season - zero question.
That is the bottom line.
Personally, I think the better choice would be to move Donovan to LF - clearly that is the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION.
But Bloom has a different vision.
That said, if Mootbaar was healthy at the moment had a successful 2025 season, Bloom would be doing exactly as I correctly advised above.
Donovan would be retained and Mootbaar would be moved.

Of all the redundancies or 1 player potentially blocking
another player JJ and Brendan Donovan are the least problematic.

2 things on this roster are absolutes. Nobody on it is good enough to
be blocking anybody. Too many C/DH/1B.

There's reasons to trade Donovan. That he is blocking JJ isn't one
that is very well positioned, jmo.

[BleedingBleu]

What does this team look like w/out Arenado, Contreras, or Donovan?

1.) LH - Noot (RF)
2.) LH - Wetherholt (2B)
3.) RH - Herrera (DH)
4.) LH - Burleson (1B)
5.) RH - Walker (LF)
6.) LH - Gorman (3B)
7.) RH - Winn (SS)
8.) LH - Scott (CF)
9.) RH - Pages (C)

Bench
RH - Saggesse MI
LH - César Prieto MI
LH - Nathan Church OF

RH - Yohel Pozo C/1B?
LH - Bryan Torres OF?
RH - Joshua Baez OF?
RH - José Fermín MI?

Holy crow, this team won’t win 60!

[renostl]

Emerson, anyone?

https://redbirdrants.com/mlb-insider-be ... an-donovan

I would definitely be satisfied with a package that included Colt Emerson.

Morosi believes the Mariners will need to surrender Colt Emerson, Cole Young and/or Ben Williamson for Donovan.

Sounds like a potentially fun, athletic infield of JJ at 2B, Winn at SS, and Emerson at 3rd

Emerson is the top prospect in Seattle's loaded farm system, according to MLB Pipeline. He hit .285 with an .841 OPS and 16 home runs across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A in 2025. Although he usually plays shortstop, some believe that he will be better suited at third base in the long term. If the Cardinals deal Nolan Arenado this winter as expected, Emerson would be a dream piece for the Cardinals in 2026 and especially beyond, when they attempt to return to contention.

If it was Emerson & Young, then maybe we see who could patrol CF if Vince Coleman Victor Scott can’t figure out the bat

Young was the Mariners' top prospect in 2024 before debuting in the majors last season. He hit an underwhelming .211 with a .607 OPS, and Seattle could opt to flip the 22-year-old for more of a sure bet in Donovan.

Now, if only we could get Walker to hit and play RF, Burleson in LF, and Gorman/Herrera 1B. In this unlikely trade scenario and fever dream, Williamson seamlessly replaces Donovan, because he basically profiles as a RH version of him. They’re both Confederates, too!

Morosi has had too much holiday spirits if he sees a package that includes Emerson
in it for Donovan.

It will be the best tasting crow ever if Emerson was a return for BD. As you state the infield
is close to done with a trade like that. They would just need to decide which extra parts
to get rid of.

[Talkin' Baseball]

What does this team look like w/out Arenado, Contreras, or Donovan?

1.) LH - Noot (RF)
2.) LH - Wetherholt (2B)
3.) RH - Herrera (DH)
4.) LH - Burleson (1B)
5.) RH - Walker (LF)
6.) LH - Gorman (3B)
7.) RH - Winn (SS)
8.) LH - Scott (CF)
9.) RH - Pages (C)

Bench
RH - Saggesse MI
LH - César Prieto MI
LH - Nathan Church OF

RH - Yohel Pozo C/1B?
LH - Bryan Torres OF?
RH - Joshua Baez OF?
RH - José Fermín MI?

Holy crow, this team won’t win 60!

I'll take the over on your 60.

When Donovan is traded I expect at least one player on the ML roster- perhaps a pitcher and not a position player? Also, if Arenado and Contreras are traded, expect a few signings to help make things more presentable. Of your 9, I'm not uncomfortable for what the team is trying to do with Wetherholt, Herrera, Burleson, Winn, and Pages. Noot and Scott need to, and very well could do better than last year. Walker and Gorman need to improve a lot. The bench is abysmal.

[BleedingBleu]

What does this team look like w/out Arenado, Contreras, or Donovan?

1.) LH - Noot (RF)
2.) LH - Wetherholt (2B)
3.) RH - Herrera (DH)
4.) LH - Burleson (1B)
5.) RH - Walker (LF)
6.) LH - Gorman (3B)
7.) RH - Winn (SS)
8.) LH - Scott (CF)
9.) RH - Pages (C)

Bench
RH - Saggesse MI
LH - César Prieto MI
LH - Nathan Church OF

RH - Yohel Pozo C/1B?
LH - Bryan Torres OF?
RH - Joshua Baez OF?
RH - José Fermín MI?

Holy crow, this team won’t win 60!

I'll take the over on your 60.

When Donovan is traded I expect at least one player on the ML roster- perhaps a pitcher and not a position player? Also, if Arenado and Contreras are traded, expect a few signings to help make things more presentable. Of your 9, I'm not uncomfortable for what the team is trying to do with Wetherholt, Herrera, Burleson, Winn, and Pages. Noot and Scott need to, and very well could do better than last year. Walker and Gorman need to improve a lot. The bench is abysmal.

Considering all starters aren’t playing 162 (looking at you, Herrera), and the bench is abysmal… how much do you think this team wins?

No Sonny Gray (21-11 in GS by him in 2025), either.

[Talkin' Baseball]

What does this team look like w/out Arenado, Contreras, or Donovan?

1.) LH - Noot (RF)
2.) LH - Wetherholt (2B)
3.) RH - Herrera (DH)
4.) LH - Burleson (1B)
5.) RH - Walker (LF)
6.) LH - Gorman (3B)
7.) RH - Winn (SS)
8.) LH - Scott (CF)
9.) RH - Pages (C)

Bench
RH - Saggesse MI
LH - César Prieto MI
LH - Nathan Church OF

RH - Yohel Pozo C/1B?
LH - Bryan Torres OF?
RH - Joshua Baez OF?
RH - José Fermín MI?

Holy crow, this team won’t win 60!

I'll take the over on your 60.

When Donovan is traded I expect at least one player on the ML roster- perhaps a pitcher and not a position player? Also, if Arenado and Contreras are traded, expect a few signings to help make things more presentable. Of your 9, I'm not uncomfortable for what the team is trying to do with Wetherholt, Herrera, Burleson, Winn, and Pages. Noot and Scott need to, and very well could do better than last year. Walker and Gorman need to improve a lot. The bench is abysmal.

Considering all starters aren’t playing 162 (looking at you, Herrera), and the bench is abysmal… how much do you think this team wins?

No Sonny Gray (21-11 in GS by him in 2025), either.

My only prediction right now would be, more than 60. I'll make a prediction at the end of spring training when I know what the roster is. Last year I got lucky and got it right- 78.

[craviduce]

What does this team look like w/out Arenado, Contreras, or Donovan?

1.) LH - Noot (RF)
2.) LH - Wetherholt (2B)
3.) RH - Herrera (DH)
4.) LH - Burleson (1B)
5.) RH - Walker (LF)
6.) LH - Gorman (3B)
7.) RH - Winn (SS)
8.) LH - Scott (CF)
9.) RH - Pages (C)

Bench
RH - Saggesse MI
LH - César Prieto MI
LH - Nathan Church OF

RH - Yohel Pozo C/1B?
LH - Bryan Torres OF?
RH - Joshua Baez OF?
RH - José Fermín MI?

Holy crow, this team won’t win 60!

I'll take the over on your 60.

When Donovan is traded I expect at least one player on the ML roster- perhaps a pitcher and not a position player? Also, if Arenado and Contreras are traded, expect a few signings to help make things more presentable. Of your 9, I'm not uncomfortable for what the team is trying to do with Wetherholt, Herrera, Burleson, Winn, and Pages. Noot and Scott need to, and very well could do better than last year. Walker and Gorman need to improve a lot. The bench is abysmal.

Considering all starters aren’t playing 162 (looking at you, Herrera), and the bench is abysmal… how much do you think this team wins?

No Sonny Gray (21-11 in GS by him in 2025), either.

My only prediction right now would be, more than 60. I'll make a prediction at the end of spring training when I know what the roster is. Last year I got lucky and got it right- 78.

If May is a 2 WAR pitcher before the ASB, he's getting flipped at the Deadline. Easy flip...a lot on here won't be able to wrap their heads around it, but he's an easy flip for more assets. Same with Donovan if we decide to keep him....Flipped now or July.

THe reason I brought it up....even if we're exceeding expectations early in the season, we're not diverting course. Rebuild, Rebuild...eye towards the prize... 2028...outside chance of 2027, but 2028 seems more ideal with the Labor Questions on the horizon, and the fact that our Offense is really bad on Paper, Smoke Signals, All-Star Baseball for the N-64, and Tolkien novels.

75-82 Win next year...best I see.

[Talkin' Baseball]

What does this team look like w/out Arenado, Contreras, or Donovan?

1.) LH - Noot (RF)
2.) LH - Wetherholt (2B)
3.) RH - Herrera (DH)
4.) LH - Burleson (1B)
5.) RH - Walker (LF)
6.) LH - Gorman (3B)
7.) RH - Winn (SS)
8.) LH - Scott (CF)
9.) RH - Pages (C)

Bench
RH - Saggesse MI
LH - César Prieto MI
LH - Nathan Church OF

RH - Yohel Pozo C/1B?
LH - Bryan Torres OF?
RH - Joshua Baez OF?
RH - José Fermín MI?

Holy crow, this team won’t win 60!

I'll take the over on your 60.

When Donovan is traded I expect at least one player on the ML roster- perhaps a pitcher and not a position player? Also, if Arenado and Contreras are traded, expect a few signings to help make things more presentable. Of your 9, I'm not uncomfortable for what the team is trying to do with Wetherholt, Herrera, Burleson, Winn, and Pages. Noot and Scott need to, and very well could do better than last year. Walker and Gorman need to improve a lot. The bench is abysmal.

Considering all starters aren’t playing 162 (looking at you, Herrera), and the bench is abysmal… how much do you think this team wins?

No Sonny Gray (21-11 in GS by him in 2025), either.

My only prediction right now would be, more than 60. I'll make a prediction at the end of spring training when I know what the roster is. Last year I got lucky and got it right- 78.

If May is a 2 WAR pitcher before the ASB, he's getting flipped at the Deadline. Easy flip...a lot on here won't be able to wrap their heads around it, but he's an easy flip for more assets. Same with Donovan if we decide to keep him....Flipped now or July.

THe reason I brought it up....even if we're exceeding expectations early in the season, we're not diverting course. Rebuild, Rebuild...eye towards the prize... 2028...outside chance of 2027, but 2028 seems more ideal with the Labor Questions on the horizon, and the fact that our Offense is really bad on Paper, Smoke Signals, All-Star Baseball for the N-64, and Tolkien novels.

75-82 Win next year...best I see.

Yeah, they aren't changing course no matter what the win total is by July.

[2ninr]

What does this team look like w/out Arenado, Contreras, or Donovan?

1.) LH - Noot (RF)
2.) LH - Wetherholt (2B)
3.) RH - Herrera (DH)
4.) LH - Burleson (1B)
5.) RH - Walker (LF)
6.) LH - Gorman (3B)
7.) RH - Winn (SS)
8.) LH - Scott (CF)
9.) RH - Pages (C)

Bench
RH - Saggesse MI
LH - César Prieto MI
LH - Nathan Church OF

RH - Yohel Pozo C/1B?
LH - Bryan Torres OF?
RH - Joshua Baez OF?
RH - José Fermín MI?

Holy crow, this team won’t win 60!

I'll take the over on your 60.

When Donovan is traded I expect at least one player on the ML roster- perhaps a pitcher and not a position player? Also, if Arenado and Contreras are traded, expect a few signings to help make things more presentable. Of your 9, I'm not uncomfortable for what the team is trying to do with Wetherholt, Herrera, Burleson, Winn, and Pages. Noot and Scott need to, and very well could do better than last year. Walker and Gorman need to improve a lot. The bench is abysmal.

Considering all starters aren’t playing 162 (looking at you, Herrera), and the bench is abysmal… how much do you think this team wins?

No Sonny Gray (21-11 in GS by him in 2025), either.

My only prediction right now would be, more than 60. I'll make a prediction at the end of spring training when I know what the roster is. Last year I got lucky and got it right- 78.

If May is a 2 WAR pitcher before the ASB, he's getting flipped at the Deadline. Easy flip...a lot on here won't be able to wrap their heads around it, but he's an easy flip for more assets. Same with Donovan if we decide to keep him....Flipped now or July.

THe reason I brought it up....even if we're exceeding expectations early in the season, we're not diverting course. Rebuild, Rebuild...eye towards the prize... 2028...outside chance of 2027, but 2028 seems more ideal with the Labor Questions on the horizon, and the fact that our Offense is really bad on Paper, Smoke Signals, All-Star Baseball for the N-64, and Tolkien novels.

75-82 Win next year...best I see.

Yeah, they aren't changing course no matter what the win total is by July.

Utoh. You said a bad thing.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Morosi has had too much holiday spirits if he sees a package that includes Emerson
in it for Donovan.

It will be the best tasting crow ever if Emerson was a return for BD. As you state the infield
is close to done with a trade like that. They would just need to decide which extra parts
to get rid of.

That would certainly be sweet. Burleson/Herrera at 1B/DH, Wetherholt at 2B, Winn at SS, Emerson at 3B, plus Crooks/Bernal at catcher. That’s a very exciting, young infield. If you want to be positive, then Josh Baez is coming along and will be good at some point in 2026.

But yea, probably not happening.

[Melville]

More unproven talent that will take the Cards to the promised land. Hallelujah! Pass the plate. LOL

Well Donovan hasn’t and won’t take the cardinals to the promised land so pretty dumb to keep him. It’s hilarious some people think Donovan is the type of player you build a team around

Name a starting Cardinal infield that's better without him in it. What we have here is Schrodinger's Donovan. He's too good to not get multiple top tier prospects but yet he's not good enough to keep as a Cardinal. LOL

They’re not trading him because they think the infield will be better without him

Actually, they are.
They are clearing 2b for Wetherholt because they do believe Wetherholt makes the infield better.
Zero dispute.
If they choose to keep Donovan, it would be because they would view him as making the OUTFIELD better.

Actually they aren’t. If they wanted the infield to be significantly better they would trade the unikkorn and have Donovan and JJ at second and third but they don’t plan on extending Donovan so it’s better to trade him while his value is at its highest instead of being dumb and keeping him like they did with Fedde and helsley. As it stands the infield will be worse trading Donovan and having Gorman sucking at third so no they aren’t expecting it to be better unless they are dumb

We disagree.
They are not ready to give up on Gorman because he is the only LH HR hitting, RBI producing, bat on the roster who can be leveraged at 3b and 2B.
And it is Donovan, not Gorman, blocking Wetherholt at 2b.
Rightly or wrongly, Bloom believes Wetherholt has a far higher ceiling than Donovan (whose ceiling is already established).
If Donovan is traded, it will be because Bloom believes Wetherholt at 2b makes the infield better, period.
Now, if he wanted to improve the outfield, he would simply move Donovan to LF (which is, of course, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION).
But Bloom seems to prefer a different direction currently.
This is the reality of the situation.

Yes I disagree. The infield would be better offensively and defensively with Donovan and JJ at second and third. Gorman sucks and is a step down from even arenado. The only reason they are trading Donovan is because he is their most valuable trade asset and they are rebuilding

If Wetherholt was not poised to take over 2nd base, Bloom would not be shopping Donovan.
If there was no Wetherholt, Donovan would be penciled in to play 2b next season - zero question.
That is the bottom line.
Personally, I think the better choice would be to move Donovan to LF - clearly that is the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION.
But Bloom has a different vision.
That said, if Mootbaar was healthy at the moment had a successful 2025 season, Bloom would be doing exactly as I correctly advised above.
Donovan would be retained and Mootbaar would be moved.

You’re wrong of course zero question. If they wanted to keep him they could dump the worthless Gorman or play him in left and trade noot or just use him as a super utility guy. He’s their most valuable trade chip by far and they have zero plans to extend him and given those two reasons bloom is smart enough to trade him at peak value instead of playing it dumb like mo did with fedde and helsley that’s why he is getting traded

If Wetherholt was not poised to take over 2nd base, Bloom would not be shopping Donovan.
If there was no Wetherholt, Donovan would be penciled in to play 2b next season - zero question.
That is the bottom line.
We both know that is true.

You’re still wrong no matter how many times you repeat it if they wanted to keep Donovan they would keep him because there’s three spots he could play they don’t to keep him easy obvious correct. They don’t expect the infield to be better because they are trading Donovan and keeping Gorman that’s a massive step down. But I’ll let you have have the last word so go ahead and state whatever delusional thing you’re going to say

I never seek to have the last word.
But I do always provide the right one.
Unfailingly in a kind, courteous, and gracious manner - regardless of how others choose to present themselves otherwise.
Such as exampled above.
Facts are all I do - without bias, without agenda, without the cloud of emotion which colors the view of most.
In this instance, facts are clear and beyond reasonable dispute.
Wetherholt is pre-determined to play 2b in 2026.
Which means that one of 3 other existing LH bats was inevitably going to be bumped from the roster.
The Cardinals ranked 29th in HR last season - and Gorman is the only one who has the proven and established ability to hit 25+ in a season.
He is going nowhere - unless Bloom replaces that LH power potential beforehand with someone he sees as having a proven advantage over Gorman.
The other option would have been Mootbaar - but as discussed, his injury status derailed the potential return.
Leaving just Donovan as the asset Bloom can leverage currently.
Maybe he finds a trade partner.
And maybe he doesn't - which would push Donovan to LF.
But as of this date, it is Wetherholt's 2026 arrival which is driving Donovan being shopped.
If Wetherholt was not poised to take over 2nd base, Bloom would not be shopping Donovan.
If there was no Wetherholt, Donovan would be penciled in to play 2b next season - zero question.
That is the bottom line.
We both know that is true.
The floor is yours - and hopefully you will choose to avoid sullying it again with diatribe and will instead dialogue at a higher level as you are quite capable of doing.