The trade that once looked like a bold win-now move for the Seattle Mariners is becoming increasingly difficult to evaluate—and perhaps even more uncomfortable with each passing week.
Seattle made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason by acquiring Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-team deal that also involved the Tampa Bay Rays. To land the versatile infielder, the Mariners parted with two former first-round picks, Jurrangelo Cijntje and Tai Peete, while also sending Ben Williamson to Tampa Bay. The expectation was clear: Donovan would provide an immediate boost to Seattle’s lineup and help stabilize a club with postseason aspirations.
Instead, Donovan has spent much of his first season battling injuries, while one of the prospects Seattle gave away continues to surge through the Cardinals’ farm system.
Cardinals Promote Jurrangelo Cijntje to Triple-A
The Cardinals announced after the All-Star break that Cijntje has been promoted to Triple-A Memphis following 17 starts with Double-A Springfield.
While his overall numbers—a 5.04 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 80 1/3 innings—don’t immediately jump off the page, they don’t tell the full story. The 23-year-old piled up 100 strikeouts during that stretch, showcasing the swing-and-miss arsenal that made him one of the most intriguing pitching prospects in baseball.
Selected 15th overall by Seattle in the 2024 MLB Draft, Cijntje entered professional baseball with enormous upside thanks to his lively mid-90s fastball, elite athleticism, and his rare ability as a switch-pitcher. Now, it’s the Cardinals who will benefit from watching that talent continue to develop.
Signs of a Breakthrough
Although consistency has remained a work in progress, Cijntje appeared to find another gear before earning his promotion.
He closed his Double-A stint by delivering six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts on July 4 before following that performance with another six-inning outing in which he struck out eight while allowing just two runs. Seventeen strikeouts over his final 12 innings gave the Cardinals every reason to believe he was ready for a tougher challenge.
Questions about command still remain, and Triple-A will provide another major test. But St. Louis clearly believes the right-hander is progressing in the right direction.
Ranked as the Cardinals’ No. 4 prospect, Cijntje continues to demonstrate why evaluators remain so high on his long-term potential. While much of the attention surrounding him focuses on his unique switch-pitching ability, the organization has primarily had him throw right-handed as he continues refining his overall development.
Donovan Has Yet to Deliver the Immediate Impact Seattle Expected
From Seattle’s perspective, the trade was built around certainty.
Prospects carry risk, while Donovan had already established himself as a dependable major leaguer capable of contributing both offensively and defensively. The Mariners believed they were acquiring a proven player entering his prime.
Unfortunately, injuries have prevented that vision from becoming reality.
Donovan has landed on the injured list twice because of recurring left groin issues. After initially returning from his first stint on the IL, he quickly suffered another setback, limiting him to just 25 games well beyond the midpoint of the season.
Although he has recently progressed to high-intensity running and was nearing rehab action in the Arizona Complex League, the Mariners are still waiting to see the player they paid such a steep price to acquire.
Tai Peete Has Also Shown Why the Cardinals Wanted Him
Cijntje wasn’t the only premium prospect included in the deal.
Tai Peete, Seattle’s first-round selection in 2023, flashed his enormous potential before a concussion interrupted his season. Across 28 games at High-A Peoria, he slashed .272/.350/.528 while collecting five home runs, 11 doubles, three triples, five stolen bases, and even completed the cycle in April.
Although injuries have slowed his momentum, including another trip to the injured list after beginning a rehab assignment, his early-season production reinforced why St. Louis insisted on making him part of the package.
Ben Williamson Added to Seattle’s Frustration
Even the third piece of the trade has found ways to make Seattle wonder what might have been.
Infielder Ben Williamson, who was sent to the Rays as part of the three-team transaction, recently enjoyed the best game of his young career—and it came against the Mariners.
In Tampa Bay’s 6-1 victory over Seattle on July 11, Williamson finished 4-for-4 with an RBI double, a stolen base, and a run scored, repeatedly making life difficult for the organization that traded him away.
The Trade Will Continue to Be Closely Watched
It’s still far too early to declare a winner, but the early returns have shifted the conversation.
Seattle surrendered Cijntje, Peete, Williamson, and the No. 68 overall draft pick to acquire Donovan. Since then, Cijntje has climbed to Triple-A, Peete has showcased exciting power-speed potential when healthy, and Williamson has already begun making an impact at the major-league level.
Meanwhile, Donovan has been limited to just 25 games because of injuries.
If Donovan returns healthy and performs at the level Seattle envisioned, the trade could still work out for the Mariners. But as the Cardinals’ young talent continues climbing the organizational ladder, every step forward by Cijntje—and every reminder from the other pieces involved—will keep this blockbuster under the spotlight for years to come.