When Cardinals super-utility player Brendan Donovan made one of those diving stops at second base or a play that required a precise angle or an excellent read, he’d peer into the dugout, where coach Stubby Clapp was flashing a smile back at him that said, “I told you so.” Coming off season-ending elbow surgery in 2023, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound former seventh-round draft pick made more starts (49), appeared in more games (53) and logged more innings (4211⁄3) at second base than in 2022 or 2023. Yet he still played most of his innings (817) as a left fielder, mixed in nine appearances at third base and one inning in right field.
The Cardinals restricted Donovan primarily to left field, second base and third base this season because he was coming off surgery to his throwing (right) arm. Donovan’s defensive exploits made him a finalist for the National League Gold Glove Award as a utility player. MLB will announce the winners Nov.
3. As recently as the final homestand of the season, Donovan expressed his intention to remain a jack-of-all-positions. “It’s been, obviously, a little different,” Donovan said of the 2024 season.
“I know that sounds crazy, playing in one position a little longer. But I fully expect to, next year, be able to bounce all around and help (manager) Oli (Marmol) with his lineup flexibility and lineup construction.” Offensively, the left-handed-hitting Donovan led the club with a .
278 batting average. His .342 on-base percentage trailed onl.