Cardinals have chance to trade for switch-pitcher in Brendan Donovan deal

Billy Heyen

Cardinals have chance to trade for switch-pitcher in Brendan Donovan deal image

The expectation around baseball is that the St. Louis Cardinals are going to trade away slugging second baseman Brendan Donovan before the offseason is over.

The main questions center around to where and for what.

There's one possibility out there that is unquestionably more intriguing than any other.

The Cardinals could trade for a switch-pitcher.

The Mariners have a talented arm in their system, Jurrangelo Cijntje, who throws both right-handed and left-handed.

According to beat reporter Ryan Divish, the Marinesr are "willing to move top pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje in a package for Cardinals INF Brendan Donovan."

 

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Cijntje is a fascianting development project.

This past season, the Mariners had him throw with one arm in a weekend start and with the other arm during the week out of the bullpen.

It's not clear whether he'll stick with both sides as he moves up the ladder, but it's a skill you don't give up on too early. You keep letting him try to figure it out.

It also increases the margin for error. At the end of the day, Cijntje only needs to break through with one arm at a major league level to have a long career.

If the Cardinals are going to deal Donovan, they could do a lot worse than landing baseball's top switch-pitching prospect.

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News Correspondent