The St. Louis Cardinals may have endured an underwhelming 2025 season, but several players delivered standout individual performances that kept fans optimistic about the team’s future. After Victor Scott II and Masyn Winn earned Gold Glove nominations last week, two more Cardinals received recognition on Wednesday — this time for their bats.
When the Silver Slugger Award nominees were announced, St. Louis placed two of the three finalists in the utility category: Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson.
Donovan, who earned his first All-Star selection earlier this year, was a consistent spark for the Cardinals when healthy. Despite missing significant time in the second half with injuries, he still played 118 games and finished with 132 hits, 10 home runs and 50 RBIs, while batting.287. His versatility and steady offensive approach made him one of the team’s most reliable players through the summer months.
Burleson, meanwhile, enjoyed a breakout season while splitting time between first base and the corner outfield spots. The 26-year-old finished with 144 hits, 18 home runs and 69 RBIs, hitting.290 to go along with career highs in OPS, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and doubles. Burleson’s 18 home runs ranked second on the team behind Willson Contreras.
Unfortunately for St. Louis, only one of the two can take home the hardware. Donovan and Burleson will compete against Jake Cronenworth of the San Diego Padres for the Silver Slugger at utility. This would be a first for all three players, each of them having never won a Silver Slugger award.
Winners of the 2025 Silver Slugger Awards will be announced Nov. 6.
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