WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Bring Brendan Donovan to St. Louis.
I know Wednesday was just Grapefruit League game No. 5 for the Cardinals. I know I’m far from the first one to say, hey, this southpaw-swinging Swiss Army Knife really can play. But please allow me to officially, belatedly join the chorus singing Donovan’s praises as he continues an incredible surge.
I will try not to sing out of key.
I want to see this guy introduced on opening day.
After barreling from Class High-A Peoria to one step away at Memphis last season, Donovan posted a higher on-base plus slugging percentage at Class AAA (.885 in 111 at-bats) than he did in Peoria (.806 in 95). Then he went to the Arizona Fall League and posted a .941 OPS in 52 at-bats in the desert. Now, the 25-year-old is here in Cardinals camp, becoming the guy who is on the cusp of the big-league roster, doing something daily to update a growing list of things that make you go, whoa.
Donovan helps his case by being a lefthanded hitter. He can trace that to playing hockey before he found baseball. His dad was in the Army and stationed overseas. His best friend joined a youth baseball team. His mom encouraged him to try.
Hockey faded. Baseball bloomed. Donovan, born in Germany, was living outside of Nashville at the time. His wanting to be a Predator is helping him take flight with the Cardinals.
“If you put me on skates now, it probably wouldn’t be pretty,” Donovan said. “But it’s why I hit lefthanded.”
Donovan also helps his case by being able to play pretty much any position. He can thank the South Alabama Jaguars for that.
“My freshman year, we had an older infield, so I slid out and played outfield,” he said. “That was the first time I had really played outfield. My sophomore year, I started to come in and play both. Then junior year, our shortstop went down, so I played short and third. You have to take as much pride in your defense as offense. I think I can play anywhere on the diamond. It comes down to reps. When you are in batting practice, get balls off the bat. Get reps everywhere.”
The Cardinals deserve a lot of praise for seeing what others did not when they drafted Donovan in the seventh round in 2018. He was signed for just over $200,000. That’s looking like a pretty good investment these days. Also wise was adding Donovan to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
His defensive versatility and being a lefthanded hitter on a team that leans right are big pluses, but they still take a backseat to how he plays. That can best be described as someone who woke up that morning rushing to get out of bed and to the ballpark because, well, think about how many hours of playing baseball just got robbed by that night of sleep.
Wednesday offered multiple examples.
One day after homering in an exhibition win, Donovan was participating in a defensive drill with multiple major leaguers out on a back field before the team bus left for an afternoon exhibition game against the Astros in West Palm Beach.
Coach Stubby Clapp was trying to smack the ball through the infield so infielders and outfielders could coordinate relays and cutoffs.
Problem was, this ball never reached the outfield.
Donovan, who was playing second, sprinted into the hole, sprawled out for the ball, jumped up to his feet and fired to first base for the pretend out.
Clapp was pleasantly surprised. Teammates, including ones who won Gold Gloves in the majors last season, cheered. Marmol changed gears to live batting practice, ending the session on Donovan’s latest ‘whoa’ moment.
Marmol keeps calling Donovan, “a gamer.”
With the Cardinals trailing Houston here at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches hours later, Donovan grabbed one of the four gloves he brought to camp and entered the game to replace Nolan Arenado at third in the bottom of the fourth. His first trip to the plate was a fly out to center. Hey, the guy already had made his big play of the day, the one that turned heads in that back-field drill.
Wasn’t that enough? Apparently not.
During his second at-bat, in the ninth inning when everybody but Donovan could be accused of wanting to go home, Donovan drilled an RBI double off lefthanded pitcher Jonathan Bermudez to score the Cardinals’ final run. He raced into second, his hair flowing behind him after his helmet fell off. Bryce Harper and Harrison Bader would have approved.
The Astros won 10-3, but Donovan is winning this camp.
It was reported Wednesday that teams will be allowed to carry 28 players on the active roster through May 1, because of the delay caused by the lockout that pushed back spring training. More room for Donovan.
It is clear the Cardinals are committed to taking a committee approach for the designated hitter position this season, a plan that will place early bets on Corey Dickerson and Lars Nootbaar for lefthanded DH production if is determined that star prospect Nolan Gorman needs a little more seasoning before his debut. Donovan could help there, too. Or go play defense for the regular who could get some rest at DH.
Watching Donovan down here, you find yourself wanting to join the chorus.
