The St. Louis Cardinals have a very valuable piece on their roster.
Utilityman Brendan Donovan not only played at every position except for catcher and center field, but he also won a Gold Glove because of that defensive versatility and how good he was at every spot.
In addition to his defensive prowess, Donovan was a really good hitter for the Cards.
In 468 plate appearances, he hit .281/.394/.379 with five home runs and 64 runs.
His 129 wRC+ indicates that he was 29 percent above the league average offensive performance.
He did this with virtually no power, though.
His slugging percentage was .379, which is most commonly associated with a reserve infielder.
His on-base percentage makes him a great hitter, but adding even a modicum of power could take him to superstar status.
It appears he dedicated his offseason to make that happen.
“Brendan Donovan had 5 HR in 468 plate appearances last season. He now has 2 HR in 5 spring training plate appearances. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said Donovan worked on driving the ball to the pull side this offseason,” Frank Stampfl tweeted.
Brendan Donovan had 5 HR in 468 plate appearances last season. He now has 2 HR in 5 spring training plate appearances. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said Donovan worked on driving the ball to the pull side this offseason.
— Frank Stampfl (@Roto_Frank) February 27, 2023
Spring training results have to be taken with a grain of salt considering that everybody is getting ready, trying new pitches, and there are lots of minor leaguers pitching.
Still, it’s hard to argue that the early results are looking promising.
That’s the perfect world: promising.
Once the regular season starts, Donovan will face the real test.
If he can hit even 15 home runs, he could become an All-Star considering that he contributes in all facets of the game.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, are licking their chops.
NEXT:
Cardinals Have An Interesting Plan For Their Outfield This Spring
