Could the San Francisco Giants' pursuit of a second baseman lead them to trade for the St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan? It seems like every day brings a new potential suitor for Brendan Donovan, and another team grappling with how to fill their infield for the 2026 season. If the Giants are indeed willing to include a highly-touted prospect in a deal for Donovan, it's possible we'll be seeing their All-Star second baseman heading to the Bay Area sooner rather than later.
Here's the scoop: According to a report from Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, the San Francisco Giants were reportedly open to including teenage shortstop prospect Josuar Gonzalez in a trade package for Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams. However, the Nationals are playing hardball, making that particular deal unlikely to materialize. Now, this is where it gets interesting for the Cardinals: Josuar Gonzalez has been recognized as the 30th best prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America. Landing him would be a massive boost to the Cardinals' farm system.
We've heard whispers all offseason about the Giants' strong interest in Donovan. Given their previous willingness to part with a prospect of Gonzalez's caliber, they might just pivot and offer a similar package to St. Louis.
What if the Giants are ready to put Josuar Gonzalez on the table for Brendan Donovan? The Cardinals might just have a deal.
As Baggarly pointed out, the Giants have amped up their trade efforts as spring training approaches. This isn't a long-standing offer; it's more of a sign of their urgency to secure a player before pitchers and catchers report.
Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals' decision-maker, has maintained a firm stance on Donovan's trade value throughout the offseason, confident that a team would eventually meet his asking price. He recently reiterated that while the closer we get to spring training, the less likely a trade becomes, he's not closing the door on discussions if the right offer comes along.
Let's talk about Gonzalez. Baseball America highlights his exceptional speed and fielding abilities, along with a strong arm. At just 18 years old, he's already demonstrating an above-average hit tool and developing average power. If his offensive game continues to mature, we could be looking at a future star.
Gonzalez spent his entire age 17 season in the DSL, where he put up impressive numbers: a .288 batting average, a .404 on-base percentage, and a .455 slugging percentage in 228 plate appearances. It's important to remember that prospects this far from their MLB debut carry inherent risk, which is why Baseball America assigned him a 65-grade with high risk, adjusted down to a 50 grade.
Just a few weeks ago, MLB.com's Jeff Passan confirmed the Giants' ongoing search for a second baseman, mentioning their discussions with both the Cardinals and the Cubs regarding Donovan and Nico Hoerner. So, while we can't say for certain if the Giants will offer the same package for Donovan as they did for Abrams, their aggressive pursuit of him is no secret.
Here's a point that might spark some debate: Abrams has an extra year of team control compared to Donovan. While Abrams has shown flashes of elite potential, his career stats show a 97 wRC+ (weighted runs created plus), meaning he's slightly below average offensively. Donovan, on the other hand, boasts a 119 wRC+, significantly outperforming Abrams. Both debuted in 2022, but Donovan has accumulated 10.1 fWAR (FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement) compared to Abrams' 6.9 fWAR, despite playing fewer games. Abrams is only 25 and plays shortstop, but considering Donovan's superior performance both at the plate and in the field over a similar number of plate appearances, it makes you wonder: if the Giants were willing to be so aggressive for Abrams, why wouldn't they show similar enthusiasm for Donovan?
This is precisely why Bloom has been patient. If teams like the Giants continue to fall short in their search for a second baseman, their desperation might lead to increased aggression, potentially presenting the Cardinals with an offer they simply can't refuse. The Boston Red Sox are in a similar boat, desperately needing a second baseman, and the Seattle Mariners have also been consistently linked to Donovan.
What do you think? Should the Cardinals hold out for a truly massive offer, or is it time to move on from Donovan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
