Every year, or at least every year since 2012, we’ve taken some time after the season was over to look at the past 162 games through the lens of the players that played them (and the management that was in charge of them). Last year, the Exit Interview series spent less time digging into splits and finding numerical oddities and more time reflecting on the player and their season. It was a style that seemed to work so we’re going to bring it back again this year. The legendary cardinalsgifs is back to bring us excellent series art, so it’s all downhill after you see that!
Player: Brendan Donovan
Stats: 153 G, 652 PA, 65 R, 34 2B, 3 3B, 14 HR, 73 RBI, 5 SB, 5 CS, .278/.342/.417, 2.6 bWAR
Statcast: 5.5% barrel, 36.6% sweet spot, 108.7 max exit velocity, .332 wOBA, .337 xwOBA, 12.4 K%, 7.2 BB%
Grade: A
Donovan’s production rode the roller coaster this season, but it was one of those roller coasters that’s at the local fair and even kids can ride. His lowest monthly OPS was .661, his highest was .971 (and they came in back-to-back months). For the most part, Donovan just continued to generate regular production even while moving around the diamond. He mainly played left field, though his time at second increased significantly after Nolan Gorman was demoted to Memphis in August. I don’t think the club wanted Donovan in left that often but it was nice to have him as an option with the various Lars Nootbaar injuries and the lost season of Jordan Walker. His flexibility led him to getting a nomination for the utility Gold Glove, an award he has already won once.
Donovan feels like the success story that we want to see become the rule, not the exception, out of the revitalization of the development process. He wasn’t a top prospect (though Kyle Reis was always very high on him) but he’s become a key part of the team. We have also seen him take on a leadership role, proving that you don’t have to have old grizzled veterans to have that leadership. He was the one texting people in the offseason, providing motivation and keeping people accountable. When you put his on-field success with his leadership, he’s a guy the Cards need to have for quite some time.
What’s in store for 2025: Donovan is eligible for arbitration this winter, so he should get a hefty bump in salary. Expect him to continue his super-utility ways next year, filling whatever hole the club has, and doing so with style.
