Cardinals Trade All-Star Donovan to Mariners in Three-Team Deal

St. Louis rebuilds with prospects from Seattle and Tampa Bay in exchange for versatile infielder.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 2:15pm

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The St. Louis Cardinals have traded four-time All-Star Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners as part of a three-team deal also involving the Tampa Bay Rays. In exchange, the Cardinals received two pitching prospects from Seattle and an outfield prospect from Tampa Bay, along with two competitive balance draft picks.

Why it matters

The trade signals the Cardinals' continued rebuild under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, as the team sheds an established star in Donovan in exchange for young talent to restock their farm system. The move leaves the Cardinals' current major league roster without any previous All-Stars, signaling a shift towards a youth movement.

The details

In the deal, the Cardinals sent Donovan, who had two years remaining on his contract, to the Mariners. In return, St. Louis acquired pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje and outfield prospect Colton Ledbetter, as well as two competitive balance draft picks. Seattle also traded third baseman Ben Williamson to the Rays as part of the three-team transaction.

  • The trade was announced on Monday, February 3, 2026.
  • Pitchers and catchers are set to report to Cardinals spring training in Jupiter, Florida on February 11, 2026.

The players

Brendan Donovan

A four-time All-Star infielder who spent the first four seasons of his MLB career with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jurrangelo Cijntje

A pitching prospect acquired by the Cardinals from the Seattle Mariners, who ranks fourth in the Cardinals' farm system.

Colton Ledbetter

An outfield prospect acquired by the Cardinals from the Tampa Bay Rays, who recorded 7 home runs, 24 doubles, 49 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases across 123 games at Double-A last season.

Ben Williamson

A third baseman traded by the Seattle Mariners to the Tampa Bay Rays as part of the three-team deal.

Chaim Bloom

The new president of baseball operations for the St. Louis Cardinals, overseeing the team's ongoing rebuild.

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What’s next

Pitchers and catchers are set to report to Cardinals spring training in Jupiter, Florida on February 11, 2026, where the team's youth movement will begin to take shape.

The takeaway

The Cardinals' trade of four-time All-Star Brendan Donovan to the Mariners signals a clear shift towards a youth-focused rebuild under new leadership, as the team looks to restock its farm system with promising prospects in exchange for an established star player.