MLB Off-season 2025-'26 (Cardinals)

[ghostrunner]

Most of the chatter I've read/heard is more like a couple top 100s, or top 10 from an organization.

Woo's article mentioned Laz Montes and Jurrangelo Cintje from Seattle, which would fit that. Montes is #29 on MLB's top 100 and Cintje is 90. I think she said the Cardinals had asked about them, not that they were necessarily likely.

BK and Ferrario had a writer from Seattle on last week and she mentioned Cintje and then Michael Arroyo as more likely than Montes, who's #63 on MLB. Her take was that someone like Colt Emerson or Anderson was more likely a return for someone like Marte.

I don't really love Montes and I'm not in on Arroyo as a regular.

For my own personal evaluations, Montes and Cintje are two nice prospects but a clear tier below the Kade Anderson, Ryan Sloan, Colt Emerson prospects.

When we talk about prospects, very few are projected stars. Those guys aren't traded. From there it's a lot of variance. Donovan himself wasn't a huge prospect.

And a team's top-10 prospect can be a "nice" prospect.

Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, Yhoniker are all top-10 prospects for the Cardinals and I wouldn't be overly excited to add them. I'd probably be more excited with Dobbins than those guys due to proximity.

Just so few needle movers to me. But the Cardinals aren't trying to win so you have to move Donovan as soon as you get an above the bar offer in my mind.

Sure. Posted that mostly as a “yes, and” kind of thing vs a “no but”. Even the wild speculation is these “good” prospects vs anyone like Emerson, Anderson, Jenkins, etc… And the Seattle writer was saying Montes is likely too high up the list.

[jagtrader]

Donovan is entering his age 29 season. There’s no reason to trade him for a middling return unless you accept the premise the Cardinals should never spend any money. Which many apparently have.

[phins]

Most of the chatter I've read/heard is more like a couple top 100s, or top 10 from an organization.

Woo's article mentioned Laz Montes and Jurrangelo Cintje from Seattle, which would fit that. Montes is #29 on MLB's top 100 and Cintje is 90. I think she said the Cardinals had asked about them, not that they were necessarily likely.

BK and Ferrario had a writer from Seattle on last week and she mentioned Cintje and then Michael Arroyo as more likely than Montes, who's #63 on MLB. Her take was that someone like Colt Emerson or Anderson was more likely a return for someone like Marte.

I don't really love Montes and I'm not in on Arroyo as a regular.

For my own personal evaluations, Montes and Cintje are two nice prospects but a clear tier below the Kade Anderson, Ryan Sloan, Colt Emerson prospects.

When we talk about prospects, very few are projected stars. Those guys aren't traded. From there it's a lot of variance. Donovan himself wasn't a huge prospect.

And a team's top-10 prospect can be a "nice" prospect.

Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, Yhoniker are all top-10 prospects for the Cardinals and I wouldn't be overly excited to add them. I'd probably be more excited with Dobbins than those guys due to proximity.

Just so few needle movers to me. But the Cardinals aren't trying to win so you have to move Donovan as soon as you get an above the bar offer in my mind.

Sure. Posted that mostly as a “yes, and” kind of thing vs a “no but”. Even the wild speculation is these “good” prospects vs anyone like Emerson, Anderson, Jenkins, etc… And the Seattle writer was saying Montes is likely too high up the list.

Oh I get it. I'm just continuing the conversation.

We also need to remember teams leak and negotiate in the media with reporters who carry their water etc.

With as long as this has gone on, two things are clear to me:

Cardinals have set a very high price for Donovan.

Teams aren't going to meet those prices until/unless desperation sets in from lack of other options.

Fun game of negotiation chicken.

[MrCrowesGarden]

Surely there is a middle ground between "The Cardinals should get a good return for Brendan Donovan" and "Brendan Donovan should return a top 10 prospect."

[phins]

Surely there is a middle ground between "The Cardinals should get a good return for Brendan Donovan" and "Brendan Donovan should return a top 10 prospect."

To be fair, they overlap, right? Getting a top-10 prospect would also be a very good return.

[MrCrowesGarden]

I think you knew what I meant.

I like Brendan Donovan as much as anyone, but I have never once considered someone opening up the war chest to get him because he's not that kind of player.

[jagtrader]

Donovan is not a guy you trade for a rotation filler and a pitcher you put in A ball, rank 9th on your prospect list and hope he makes the big leagues someday.

Bloom has picked up the pieces of Mozeliak’s pitching neglect with the Red Sox trades. That’s great. But you need to field a baseball team in 2026 and 2027 (hopefully) and it needs to have a lineup. People are really underestimating that challenge for a team that apparently can’t even spend like the A’s.

[MrCrowesGarden]

Why are we inventing characters? Nobody said to trade Donovan for rotation filler and a distant prospect.

[Popeye_Card]

I think Donovan is a guy that might net a top 50-ish prospect from a team that has a stocked farm system. If he doesn’t, then I think you are better off hanging onto him and seeing if anyone has more interest by the trade deadline.

I don’t think he’s a guy you trade off for lottery tickets, or a couple low-ceiling AAA players.

[phins]

I think Donovan is a guy that might net a top 50-ish prospect from a team that has a stocked farm system. If he doesn’t, then I think you are better off hanging onto him and seeing if anyone has more interest by the trade deadline.

I don’t think he’s a guy you trade off for lottery tickets, or a couple low-ceiling AAA players.

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