Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (33) celebrates his double against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Cardinals Landed Potential Superstar Pitcher in Brendan Donovan Deal

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Feb 11, 2026 1:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals have made some huge additions this offseason, but it's come at a cost. They've traded away a slew of veterans including Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras.

But the biggest move the Cardinals made was a deal that sent Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners for a trade package centered around switch pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje. The Cardinals have bolstered their farm system quite a bit this winter.

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CBS Sports' RJ Anderson recently ranked Cijntje one of the top prospects in all of baseball while sharing quite a lot of high praise for the young switch pitcher. He seems to have all the right tools to be an ace of the future.

Jurrangelo Cijntje has the makings of a future ace in St. Louis

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"Cijntje, best known for being a switch-pitcher who can clear 90 mph with either arm, was Seattle's first-round pick in 2024," Anderson wrote. "He reached Double-A in his first full professional season despite some underwhelming numbers that make it clear his future is exclusively as a right-hander.

"Indeed, he surrendered a .618 OPS and recorded a nearly 20% strikeout-minus-walk rate throwing righty, as opposed to 1.117 OPS and more walks than strikeouts as a lefty. Cijntje will be just dandy when and if he gives up on the novelty act: he has a sneaky good right-handed fastball as well as a swing-and-miss breaker that ought to result in a middle-of-the-rotation future. "

There were rumors that Cijntje would begin using just his right arm to pitch, but during his first day with the Cardinals in camp, he featured explosive stuff with both arms. This ability makes him one of the more intriguing players of this generation.

If Cijntje is able to find consistency with both arms, he could very quickly become one of the better young pitchers in the game. The ability to always have the advantage over the hitter is invaluable, especially considering the fact that most lefties struggle against southpaw pitching.

Either way, the Donovan trade seems to be one of the better moves of St. Louis' offseason. The Cardinals should begin reaping the benefits in the coming years.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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