Cardinals' Donovan Projected to Start for NL All-Star Team
As the month of May begins, so too do discussions about the MLB All-Star Game. We're still about two and a half months away from this year's game, which will take place on July 15 in Atlanta, but Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter predicts that Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan will start for the National League in this year's Midsummer Classic.
With a slash line of .333/.386/.483 through 31 games, Donovan is off to a scorching-hot start. In addition to predicting Donovan to start in the all-star game, Reuter also recently ranked him as the best second baseman in baseball for 2025.
Reuter included starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore as one of his 'worthy snubs', but Donovan was the lone Cardinal on his projected roster.
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While he's primarily a second baseman, Donovan is a true utility man. He's played six different positions in his MLB career and is a two-time utility gold glove award finalist, winning the first edition of the award in 2022. This season, he's filled in at shortstop while Masyn Winn was injured and has also spent 61 innings in the outfield.
Cardinals second baseman Brendan DonovanPaul Rutherford-Imagn Images
On the offensive side, Donovan leads all qualified Cardinals hitters in hits, doubles, batting average and slugging percentage, among other categories. His 40 hits are tied for a National League-best.
Donovan, who is in his fourth MLB season, finished third in rookie of the year voting in 2022. He is yet to make an all-star appearance. If selected as a starter, Donovan would be the first Cardinal second baseman to start in an all-star game since Tom Herr in 1985.
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Related: Cardinals' Liberatore Leading MLB in Important Category
Related: Cardinals Provide Encouraging Update on Rising Young Slugger
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