The St Louis Cardinals are exactly .500, 61-61, and on the outskirts of the National League playoff chase. While they may not make the postseason, they have surpassed the low expectations set coming into the year. They are building for the future, and one key piece has already made his mark in the major leagues. Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan spoke highly about shortstop Masyn Winn and his elite defense.

“He’s one of the best defenders I have ever seen in my life,” Donovan told MLB.com's John Denton. “You can talk about the arm strength, the accuracy of his throws, the carry on his throws, the mental clock in his head, the instincts, the awareness to read swings and be in the right spots, the aggressiveness — his ability to do everything at a high level is incredibly impressive. I’m serious, he’s the best defender I’ve ever seen … and he’s only getting better.”

Donovan has been with the Cardinals since 2022, playing next to Tommy Edman during his best season. But he says Winn's defense outweighs any he's seen at the position. Baseball Savant agrees with Donovan, as Winn leads all players with 22 outs above average. Edman posted a 19 OAA in the 2022 season.

The Cardinals are headed in a new direction next season, with Chaim Bloom taking over as the President of Baseball Operations. He has been focused on the minor leagues this season and will take over the big club for the offseason. Their top priority should be surrounding Winn with talent, as he has shown promise on both sides of the ball.

Winn has been a league-average bat while wielding a gold glove at short to this point in his career. That is someone to build around, especially given the Cardinals' historical eye for talent. Their middle infield has been solid all year with Donovan and Winn, despite a lukewarm season.

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