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2023 Player Outlook

2023 Recap: The hope was that a reworked swing would allow Donovan to hit for more power in 2023 and we have to agree that it worked. He slashed .284/.365/.422 with 11 home runs and five stolen bases. His hard-hit rate increased, his barrel rate increased, he lofted the ball more, and cut nearly eight percentage points off his ground ball rate. Perhaps even more importantly, he didn't sacrifice his contact metrics, as he posted a 90+ percent zone contact rate for the second straight year, and even cut down his already low strikeout rate. An elbow injury cut his season short, but he'll be fully ready to go for the 2024 season. 

2024 Outlook: Despite the shifts in his swing, he's still not a legitimate power threat in fantasy, and he'll likely see a good chunk of ABs as the team's designated hitter this season. The Cardinals will likely put him on the larger side of a platoon, as he posted just a .236 SLG and .569 OPS against left-handed pitchers last season. Donovan will hit for a good average, and while he does a little bit of everything, he only does one thing particularly well for fantasy purposes, which is hitting for average. His multi-positional eligibility is also a bonus for fantasy managers, though his projected offensive production is best suited at second base, compared to first or the outfield.