Inspired by Goldschmidt, Donovan growing into Cards' next leader

This story was excerpted from John Denton’s Cardinals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Having already been thrust into a clubhouse that included Cardinals cornerstones Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina during his rookie year of 2022, Brendan Donovan got additional leadership lessons in his second and third seasons from veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

With all those star Cardinals having departed, Donovan – who turns 28 on Thursday – finds himself in the position of being one of the most experienced and accomplished players in the clubhouse and in a leadership role among his fellow position players. The product of a disciplined military upbringing, Donovan has quickly evolved into a leader who commands respect by being a consistent force who sets examples with his grit, attention to detail and humble persona.

Who Donovan has become as a player – the Cardinals’ 2024 leader in hits (163), batting average (.278), on-base percentage (.342) and OPS (.759), while ranking second in slugging (.417) – is partially a credit to those who came before him, he said. Goldschmidt, Donovan’s offseason training partner the past two winters, shaped who the defensive ace wants to be as a leader for St. Louis going forward.

“I will go out there and say from a teammate perspective, Paul Goldschmidt has taught me more about baseball than anyone besides some of my coaches,” Donovan said from his offseason home in Alabama. “What it means to be a professional, what it looks like to prepare in the video room, what it looks like to prepare in an offseason, eating a healthy diet and the importance of putting a TV or a phone away and reading a book. How he goes about every day, not just in baseball but also life, it’s an example for how I want to be [as a leader].”

Donovan recently hosted the Cardinals’ social media team at his home, where they filmed some of the highly detailed workout routines he is doing to prepare for what he hopes will be his best MLB season yet. That’s saying something for a player who has already distinguished himself as the most versatile Cardinal in recent years with his ability to play four positions and produce at the plate. In 2022, Donovan became the first rookie in Cards history to win a Gold Glove, and he was a finalist for another in 2024 – just months after surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Last week, Donovan and the Cardinals did not reach an agreement on his 2025 contract, meaning the sides could be headed to an arbitration hearing by the end of the month. The Cards never approached their steadiest player from 2024 about signing a multiyear deal, per a source close to the negotiations, but that could change in the coming weeks. St. Louis could handle Donovan the same way it did Tommy Edman, who signed a two-year, $16.5 million extension last January not long after hitting a stalemate in contract talks.

Just like his mentor in Goldschmidt, Donovan politely declined to talk about his contract situation and where things might go in the coming weeks. But he isn’t leaving St. Louis any time soon, what with the Cardinals sticking to “reset” plans for 2025. The club did not pick up contract options for veteran pitchers Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, let Goldschmidt sign with the Yankees in free agency and has discussed trading 10-time Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado.

A potential replacement at third for Arenado, lefty slugger Nolan Gorman, is Donovan’s closest friend on the Cardinals. Gorman struggled mightily in 2024, so much so that he finished the season with Triple-A Memphis. However, Donovan thinks the 2018 first-round pick has big things ahead in 2025 after watching him in the batting cage just days before his recent wedding in Arizona.

“Gorman looks great and he’s excited,” Donovan raved. “I won’t be shocked when he comes out and has a great year.”

For the youth-centered Cardinals to have a great year, they will need leadership from Donovan, who hopes to use what he’s learned from veterans like Pujols, Wainwright, Molina and Goldschmidt.

“With leadership, it’s an everyday thing,” Donovan said. “I’m still learning, and being a parent has taught me a lot of things about [leadership]. I think that’s the purest form of leadership.

“On our team, I want to create an environment where guys can be as comfortable as possible to be themselves. I’m excited because I enjoy helping people. One way is getting to know guys as a person, figure out their ‘why’ and what makes them tick and show them that they can trust me.”