Buster Olney of ESPN had some kind words to say about Brendan Donovan, who has heard his name mentioned in trade rumors several times already this offseason.
As has been chronicled many times already this offseason, the St. Louis Cardinals are set to embark upon a rebuild. While they continue to emphasize that it's not a 'full rebuild,' it certainly has the appearance of one.
They are expected to trade Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray, and there's going to be significant interest in Brendan Donovan, Alec Burleson and Lars Nootbaar. Donovan and Nootbaar have two years left of team control, while Burleson has three. The Cardinals do not look like they will be fully competitive by the time any of them reach free agency, so trades make sense there too.
Speaking on our sister Seattle Mariners Roundtable podcast, ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney spoke about Donovan and Burleson, with some added high praise for the former:
Brendan Donovan is, to me, one of the secret gems in baseball. High on-base, good defender. You know that you always hear the phrase 'ball player.' A guy who's a grinder. That's him. And Alec Burleson is an excellent hitter. And he's one of these guys who wakes up every day, it's his personality, he assumes he's going to get three hits. Like, he looks hitter-ish from the time he steps into the box. And I asked him about that once and he goes, 'yeah, man.' I mean, he just loves to hit, and he's a really good hitter. And I think whoever winds up landing him -- and again -- if the Cardinals are going to go on this full rebuild and trade Arenado and Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras, you might as well move all the guys who only have two or three years left in control to get prospects back.
It should be noted that both players were nominated for Silver Sluggers at the utility position. Burleson got the victory.
About Donovan's season
The 28-year-old played in 118 games, hitting .287 with 10 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .353 on-base percentage.
Why the utility distinction? He played 100 games at second base, 18 in left field and six at shortstop, in addition to two at designated hitter. That versatility will also certainly play into his trade value this winter. We recently heard that the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians have inquired about a trade.
About Burleson's season
The 26-year-old played in 139 games this season, accumulating 1.8 WAR (Baseball Reference). He hit 18 homers and drove in 69 while hitting .290 with a .343 on-base percentage. He had an .801 OPS, showing that he can be a key part of any lineup.
Why was he at the utility position for the Silver Slugger? Because he played in 74 games in the outfield, 50 games at first base, and 22 at designated hitter. That versatility will also make him attractive.
Related Cardinals stories
THE ARENADO BLUEPRINT: If the Cardinals are going to move the future Hall of Famer, this could be the way to do it. CLICK HERE:
BLOOM ON GROWTH: Chaim Bloom caught up with MLB Network on Wednesday to talk about areas of focus for the organization. CLICK HERE:
NOOTBAAR GAINING SUITORS: According to one report, the Cardinals were fielding calls on the outfielder at the outset of the offseason. CLICK HERE:
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