St. Louis Cardinals super utility man Brendan Donovan came close to winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award, falling short to Michael Harris II.
But the Cards rookie isn’t walking away without some hardware.
Donovan was named the utility Gold Glove Award winner in the National League.
Donovan is so valuable to the Cardinals because of his ability to play multiple positions on the field, all except for catcher.
During the award show, Donovan was asked about what it takes to be so versatile on the field.
“Play them all, man. Pick a different spot each day and just go out there,” said Donovan.
“If you have a team of utility guys, you’re going to be alright.”
Donovan’s Versatility
The Cardinals certainly have no shortage of utility players, with Donovan and shortstop Tommy Edman being the most prominent.
But it’s luxury for the Cardinals to have two players who can play almost any position on the field.
Donovan’s bat was something that the Cardinals valued during the season, so having him be able to play multiple positions gave them a lot of options for how to use him.
Donovan could simply slot in as a designated hitter if need be.
He took most of his reps at second base, but was a go-to option to play third base or even first base if Paul Goldschmidt or Nolan Arenado needed a day off from the field.
With Albert Pujols gone, he’s likely to get more chances to play the corner infield spots.
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