As part of a three-team trade, the Mariners added a potential new leadoff man for 2026. Brendan Donovan is headed to Seattle, a trade that netted the Cardinals two former first-round picks, plus a former second-round pick. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, received Mariners infielder Ben Williamson.

The Mariners’ Return

• INF/OF Brendan Donovan (.287/.353/.422, 10 HR, 42 XBH over 118 GP)

The Cardinals grabbed Brendan Donovan in the seventh round back in the 2018 MLB Draft, part of what was a good decade for St. Louis in terms of drafting and player development. And despite losing all of 2020, Donovan only needed two full MiLB seasons to push his way to St. Louis.

Now 29 years of age, Donovan has been a steady performer over his first four seasons. The new Mariner posted an OPS above .770 in three of his four MLB seasons, as well as double-digit home runs in three of four, as well. His accolades include a Gold Glove in 2022, plus an All-Star nod in 2025.

While Donovan can drive the ball to the pull side, that’s not a big part of the 29-year-old’s game. Rather, he’s a savvy contact hitter who will see the ball through the zone and take it to the opposite field, as part of an all-field approach.

That approach has led to little swing-and-miss. His 13.0% K% ranked among the lowest 20 in the Majors last season (min. 350 PA), and his 13.4% Whiff% was very low, as well. But on top of that, Donovan doesn’t chase that much, somewhat of a difference compared to some of the other high-contact hitters in the game.

Getting back to the power for a second, Donovan doesn’t boast high bat speed; he ranked in the 13th percentile last season in that metric. Nonetheless, he set a career-high in Barrel% (8.8) last year.

Defensively, Donovan has experience all over the infield. The bulk of his work has come between second and left field. However, he does have some past experience at third base.

Donovan has two years of team control before he can become a free agent.

The Cardinals’ Return

• SP Jurrangelo Cijntje (3.99 ERA, 120 K, 51 BB over 108.1 IP) (A+ and AA)
• OF Tai Peete (.217/.288/.404, 19 HR, 47 XBH over 125 GP (A+)
• OF Colton Ledbetter (.265/.337/.378, 7 HR, 35 XBH over 123 GP) (AA)
• Two 2026 CBB picks

After a dominant season with Mississippi State, Jurrangelo Cijntje came into 2025 as one of the most intriguing arms in the Minors. His 2025 season was a mixed bag.

Looking at his overall strikeout numbers, you’d think that those numbers were very good. And those numbers are. However, there were some areas of concern.

One was the home runs, as Cijntje gave up 14 home runs in 74.2 IP with High-A Everett. Things, though, stabilized for him in Double-A, as he only allowed one over 33 innings with Double-A.

Two were the walks. But there was the low swing-and-miss to reckon with at Double-A. His numbers, as we noted in our Mariners’ farm review, were relatively fine at High-A. However, he posted a sub-24% Whiff% with Arkansas.

Cijntje spent his college career and his first full pro season as a switch-pitcher. However, the Mariners announced just a few days before the trade that the former first-round pick would not throw left-handed in a game setting for the immediate future. Instead, he would focus on being a right-handed pitcher.

Tai Peete, like Cijntje, is a former first-round pick. Peete can hit for power, and he also stole 25 bases last season. However, he struck out a Northwest League-high 162 times over 125 games. High swing-and-miss (51.9%) and is aggressive at the plate.

St. Louis will also get former second-round pick Colton Ledbetter from the Rays. Ledbetter stole 37 bases last season and has played all three outfield positions.

The Rays’ Return

• INF Ben Williamson (.253/.294/.310, 1 HR, 14 XBH over 85 GP)

The Mariners promoted former second-round pick Ben Williamson for his MLB debut this past April. The 25-year-old bounced back and forth between the Majors and Triple-A throughout the year. Williamson slashed .314/.392/.462 with five home runs and 19 extra-base hits over 52 contests.

Speedy player who has a short swing, relative to the MLB norms. He makes consistent contact but will expand out of the zone with regularity.

Analysis

Over the past few years, the Mariners have tried to figure out how to configure things at second and third. Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suarez, the latter of whom was re-acquired last summer, were part of that equation. However, neither of them will be back for 2026.

Donovan becomes a unique asset, as he could slide between second and third with the Mariners. Seattle does have Cole Young on the roster, meaning Donovan would likely make sense as a primary third baseman.

Secondly, Donovan adds a different element to the Mariners’ lineup. We noted in our season recap, and we’ll do it again: there’s a lot of swing-and-miss in this lineup. Josh Naylor partially addressed that. Donovan fits the new age of contact hitters, as he’s versatile and will work counts.

Seattle didn’t have to concede any of their top-tier prospects, either. Yes, Cijntje is a very good pitching prospect. However, Cijntje is arguably the Mariners’ third-best pitching prospect, behind Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan.

As for the other components to this trade, the Cardinals get upside. Cijntje becomes the latest addition for a St. Louis team that has added several other young pitchers over the winter, including Richard Fitts, Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo, and Brandon Clarke.

Tampa, meanwhile, gets a toolsy infielder in Williamson.

Check out more of our MLB coverage.