Among the potential trade options for the New York Yankees to pursue, Brendan Donovan has been flirted as a target. Donovan’s numbers won’t wow the average fan, but diving into more than that, there’s reason to believe he could be an excellent addition to the Yankees.
According to Baseball Savant, he would’ve hit 19 home runs at Yankee Stadium last season. His advanced numbers also lead to optimism, posting an xBA in the 88th percentile, xwOBA in the 72nd percentile, squared-up% in the 98th percentile, chase% in the 80th percentile, whiff% in the 94th percentile, and K% in the 97th percentile.
For all those reasons and much more, Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media pitched the idea of the Yankees trading for him, naming him “the perfect trade target.”
“The most logical solution for the Yankees may lie on the trade market, and few players fit the bill better than Brendan Donovan. The St. Louis Cardinals utilityman is an offensive force with a knack for getting on base. In 2024, Donovan hit .278/.342/.417 with 14 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a 115 wRC+. His versatility is equally impressive—he’s capable of playing both second and third base at a high level, offering the kind of defensive flexibility the Yankees crave.
“Beyond the stats, Donovan is a team-first player who provides leadership and intangibles that any championship-caliber team needs. Bringing in someone like Donovan could be a game-changer for the Yankees, especially given how much he’d help lengthen their lineup and shore up their infield defense,” Wilson wrote on January 20.
What Would a Trade Look Like?
The St. Louis Cardinals are likely heading into a rebuild, with their ownership looking to shed payroll this winter. While they could look to move Donovan, he’s looking at less than $3.5 million this season. Donovan and the Cardinals are at odds in arbitration, with him filing at $3.3 million and St. Louis filing at $2.85 million.
However, either way, he’d be very cheap, and the Cardinals could be looking for a big package from the New York Yankees because of that. Factor that in with him not hitting free agency until 2028, and the Yankees might have to move a decent haul.
Rucker Haringey of FanSided proposed a deal that would send Everson Pereira and Will Warren to the Cardinals for Donovan, a trade that would work in the Yankees’ favor.
“Everson Pereira could headline the deal. He’s a former top-five prospect whose career has been slightly derailed due to injury. There’s not room for him in New York’s outfield right now, but he could force his way onto the Cardinals’ big-league roster next year, and his tools are stil pretty loud.
“Will Warren would be the second player in the deal headed to the Cardinals. He is a valuable depth piece for New York’s starting rotation but the team’s offseason acquisition of Max Fried makes him somewhat superfluous in the Bronx. In theory, the Yankees could circle back and replace him on the depth chart in a separate Stroman deal with another team,” Haringey wrote on January 11.
Is Donovan Better Than Gleyber Torres?
The New York Yankees are looking to replace Gleyber Torres, and while he had his flaws, he was an above-average hitter at second base during his time in the Bronx.
However, Donovan has truly been excellent in the first three seasons of his career, posting a 116 OPS+ in that span.
He’s an elite defender, too, winning a Gold Glove Award in 2022, making him a better fit for the Yankees than Torres.
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