The San Francisco Giants ultimately missed out on acquiring versatile infielder Brendan Donovan, who was traded to the Seattle Mariners in a complex three-team deal. With Donovan now off the market, attention has shifted toward what kind of package the Giants could have assembled to convince the St. Louis Cardinals to send him to San Francisco instead.
The Giants were highly motivated to strengthen their second base position during the offseason. Donovan was among several players linked to the club, along with Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner and Washington Nationals standout CJ Abrams. However, after failing to land any of those targets, San Francisco signed three-time batting champion Luis Arráez to a one-year contract. Arráez is expected to provide immediate offensive stability while likely returning to second base, a position he has played occasionally over the last two seasons.
Recreating the Donovan trade is complicated due to its multi-team structure, which also involved compensatory draft selections. Still, Seattle’s contribution to the deal offers a blueprint for the type of return St. Louis was seeking.
The Mariners sent prospects Ben Williamson, Jurrangelo Cijntje, and Taj Peete as part of the transaction. Williamson was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays, while Cijntje and Peete were acquired by the Cardinals. Cijntje, selected in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft, was especially valuable due to his rare ability to pitch from both sides of the mound. Before the trade, he ranked as the Mariners’ seventh-best prospect and was rated No. 91 overall in baseball by MLB Pipeline. Peete ranked as Seattle’s 11th-ranked prospect, while Williamson had previously been considered a top-20 prospect before graduating from prospect eligibility in 2025.
Given that St. Louis appeared focused on adding pitching talent in exchange for Donovan, the Giants would likely have needed to center any proposal around one of their top young arms. Jacob Bresnahan, widely viewed as San Francisco’s top pitching prospect, could have served as the cornerstone of a potential deal. Other possible pitching options might have included Argenis Cayama or Keyner Martinez, though Bresnahan remains the most logical comparison.
San Francisco would probably have needed to include additional position-player prospects to match Seattle’s offer. Outfield prospects Bo Davidson or Dakota Jordan could have been strong candidates, while emerging talents such as Parks Harber or Carlos Gutierrez might have rounded out a three-player package.
Another alternative would have involved the Giants offering major-league-ready pitchers like Hayden Birdsong or Landen Roupp. However, such a move could have further weakened an already thin starting rotation, making the organization hesitant to pursue that route.
Ultimately, the Giants appear comfortable with their decision not to match Seattle’s trade offer. By signing Arráez, the team secured a reliable offensive contributor who can temporarily fill the second base role in 2026. Nevertheless, the Giants made a serious effort to upgrade the position through trades, and Donovan was clearly among their top targets before the Mariners finalized the deal.
The missed opportunity highlights both San Francisco’s aggressive offseason approach and the challenges teams face when balancing long-term prospect value against immediate roster upgrades.
