Goldy's leadership is missed. Who will step up?

JUPITER, Fla. -- There's little doubt that St. Louis lost a prominent piece of its offense when Paul Goldschmidt – who has swung one of MLB's most potent bats over the past decade – signed with the Yankees during the offseason.

Goldschmidt's glove and what he did for the clubhouse might be even tougher to replace.

“Yeah, he did a ton for the club,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “I mean, a true leader that invested a lot of time and energy in the guys around him, regardless of if they were in the league for a long time or were young guys.”

Goldschmidt hit 153 of his 362 career home runs and collected 477 of his 1,187 RBIs during his six years as a Cardinal.

His Yankees played their lone spring game at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Goldschmidt’s former Spring Training home with the Cardinals, on Sunday – a 6-5 St. Louis win – but the veteran didn't make the three-hour journey across the state.

Goldschmidt won the most recent of his four National League Gold Glove Awards in 2021 as a Cardinal. On Sunday, former teammates continued to speak glowingly about Goldschmidt's nifty glove and footwork.

“Obviously, I love having [Willson Contreras] over there, but I'll probably never play with another first baseman like Goldy again in my career,” said shortstop Masyn Wynn, estimating Goldschmidt's handiwork spared him from more than a half-dozen errors last season. “Just what he can do around the bag, footwork, the way he commanded the infield, I think it's going to be hard for anyone to beat that.”

Then there's the leadership factor.

With Goldschmidt gone, Cardinals players can lean on 12-year veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado for wisdom and advice, but for how long? As part of their reset for this season, the Cards have been open about their desire to trade Arenado.

Moving from catcher to first base this season, Contreras also offers a veteran presence.

Who among St. Louis’ core of younger players could grow into the next leader the caliber of Goldschmidt?

“That's an easy one: Donnie,” Alec Burleson said, echoing other teammates who also referred to Brendan Donovan. “He's got that kind of leadership quality around him. He's another family guy. He always wants to help the young guys. He's definitely one who could step into that role, for sure.”

Had Arenado been traded, Donovan would likely have been the Cardinals' primary second baseman this season. With Arenado still on the club, Nolan Gorman is expected to see time at second and third.

Donovan should also get some starts in a crowded St. Louis outfield. He's expected to make his first left-field start of the spring on Monday against the Mets.

Entering his fourth season, the 28-year-old Donovan is a career .280 hitter with 30 homers, 152 RBIs and 177 runs scored. Like Goldschmidt, Donovan has also won an NL Gold Glove Award, his coming as a utility player in 2022.

Donovan, who considers Goldschmidt “an extreme role model,” speaks fondly of the bond he developed with him, which included training in the offseason and getting to see Goldschmidt as a family man.

“He's one of those guys that took me under his wing immediately,” Donovan said. “Just his presence on a daily basis, the attention to detail, the caring he had – not to mention a fantastic baseball player, but an even better person.”

Donovan's not actively campaigning to be a clubhouse leader. But it's clear the younger players see him as one.

“I think it's important to invest in those around you,” Donovan said. “If you want to win, I think it's important that you care about the guys and you try to keep the house in order. Leadership isn't something you seek. I think it's something where you show up on a daily basis and you set an example. That's kind of how I view leadership.”

New York manager Aaron Boone is well aware of Goldschmidt's reputation as a leader, and he expects those traits to manifest themselves as the season progresses.

“I think what we've seen is the character,” Boone said of Goldschmidt, who is hitting .182 with one homer and four RBIs in 22 spring at-bats with the Yankees. “I'm looking forward to the continued evolution with him getting really connected with teammates and adding something to the room.”