The Seattle Mariners remain in the hunt to bring back Jorge Polanco, but the longer his free agency drags on, the more they need to consider other options in case he departs for a better offer. And one name that is getting harder to keep out of our headlines is Brendan Donovan.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ All-Star and Gold Glover was first hinted as a possibility for the Mariners in early November, and the shoe fit. Seattle’s everyday lineup could use a bat-to-ball guy with good discipline, and his defensive services aren’t limited to second base. He can play the other three infield positions, plus the outfield as needed.

Per Adam Jude of The Seattle Times, the Mariners have once again expressed interest in Donovan after having him on their radar last year. And trade proposals are flying around, including one from MLB.com that was admittedly billed as “ridiculous.”

This makes it our turn, so let’s get into three trades that would make sense for both the Mariners and the Cardinals.

3 Mariners trade packages for Brendan Donovan that actually make sense

The Technically Fair One

This one grades as a fair deal at Baseball Trade Values, which sees as it as a swap of Donovan’s $32.1 million surplus value for $33.1 million in surplus value between Cole Young and Tai Peete.

Young would be a ready-made replacement for Donovan in St. Louis, and one who would come with ample club control and upside. The 22-year-old won’t be eligible for free agency until after 2031, and he showed off legit talent with the stick at times in the bigs this season. He had a 50-game run in which he hit .281 with 20 walks against 28 strikeouts.

Overall, though, Young more so showed offensive downside as he managed just a 78 OPS+ in 77 games, and he often looked overmatched on defense as well. Between that and how Peete’s stock has cratered since the Mariners chose him with the No. 30 pick in 2023, the Cardinals have every right to demand a trade package with less risk, or at least more upside.

The Upside Play

For instance, here’s an upside play that could tickle the Cardinals’ fancy. It also rates as a fair deal, and both Farmelo and Stevenson would bring potential for two-way stardom to St. Louis’ system.

Farmelo has been injured for much of his pro career, but he has plus-plus speed and has messed around with .400 OBPs at Single-A in 2024 and in the Arizona Fall League this year. There’s also some belief that the power will be there as he develops.

Stevenson, meanwhile, was recently tabbed by Baseball America as the Mariners’ breakout prospect for 2026. They only just drafted him with the No. 35 pick in July, at which time he was supposed to be a power-over-hit catcher. He then posted a .460 OBP in his first taste of Single-A, and impressed with his work behind the plate, too.

Yet even if both Farmelo and Stevenson are top-100 material, the former’s injury history isn’t the only thing that could give the Cardinals pause. They already have three catchers in their top six for MLB Pipeline, so it’s a system that doesn’t truly need Stevenson.

The One They Can’t Refuse

In this one, the Cardinals would get two top-100 prospects back for Donovan. MLB Pipeline has Arroyo ranked at No. 63, and Sloan a touch higher at No. 44.

It isn’t clear where Arroyo’s future defensive home is, but the bat is going to play no matter where he ends up. He has a .408 OBP for his career in the minors, and has launched 40 homers across the last two seasons. He could be a Howie Kendrick with more pop.

Though Sloan isn’t Seattle’s best pitching prospect, he’s arguably the most exciting. He was only 19 years old this season, yet he showed off excellent stuff and excellent command in striking out 90 batters against 15 walks in 82.0 innings at Single-A and High-A.

The Mariners surely don’t want to trade either guy, but they could also live without both. Arroyo’s positional uncertainty makes it uniquely difficult to pencil him into the club’s future plans. And timeline-wise, Sloan is behind Kade Anderson and Jurrangelo Cijntje on the path to the majors.