Cardinals Recall Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar Optioned to Memphis

CARDINALS RECALL INF BRENDAN DONOVAN; OF LARS NOOTBAAR OPTIONED MEMPHIS (AAA).

DONOVAN WOULD BECOME THE 7^TH GERMAN-BORN PLAYER TO PLAY FOR THE CARDINALS

ST. LOUIS, MO., April 25, 2022 – Prior to today’s game, the St. Louis Cardinals have recalled infielder Brendan Donovan from Memphis (AAA). Outfielder Lars Nootbaar was optioned to Memphis following Sunday’s game in Cincinnati.

Donovan, 25, the Cardinals seventh round selection (213^th overall) out of the University of South Alabama in 2018, was batting .298 with a home run, six RBI and three doubles through 16 games. He has hit safely in 14-of-16 games and is batting .421 (8-19) against left-handed pitching with a .364 mark with runners in scoring position.

Born in Wurzburg, Germany, as his father was a Deputy Commander for the United States Army at their Combat Readiness Center, Donovan will become the seventh Cardinals German-born player. He will join the most recent, Edwin Jackson (2011), who was born in West Germany.

Donovan was a 2021 Arizona Fall League Rising Star and was selected to the 28-player roster for Germany before they canceled the 2021 World Baseball Classic. He traveled to Los Angeles for the 2021 National League Wild Card game as a member of the Taxi Squad, but was not on the active roster.

Nootbaar played in seven games for the Cardinals after beginning the season on the Opening Day roster and is compiled a .125 batting average with one RBI.

Donovan would be the second Cardinals player to make his Major League debut in 2022 and the seventh to make his Cardinals debut this season if he appears in a game prior to Packy Naughton. He will wear uniform No. 33.

— STL —

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Donovan probably won’t see much time; they already have Edmundo Sosa on the roster as the utility infielder.

Nootbaar should be back once he gets his bat straightened out; he needs regular at bats to do that and he’s not going to get them behind the core outfielders and the DH platoon of Corey Dickerson and Albert Pujols. This does make Tommy Edman the 5th outfielder in a pinch.