He’s one of the names retiring Cardinals legend Adam Wainwright singled out late last season as he looked around a Busch Stadium clubhouse and pointed toward lockers of rising players he felt were ready to take on more of a leadership role moving forward.

Despite the fact they could be viewed as competitors for playing time, he’s the teammate who has mentored Nolan Gorman on matters on the field and off, from knowing when to trust preparation and stop tinkering with swing mechanics during a game, to learning how to reset after results both good and bad. This player, the one we're talking about, says he is analytical in his preparation and old-school in his play. As in, think long and hard before and after the game. But during the game? Play. Hard.

He’s the player who, in a matter of hours Sunday afternoon during Cardinals Winter Warm-up, went from being praised by the team's president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, referred to by teammate Jordan Walker as something close to a hitting coach and, when it was finally time to speak for himself, said the Cardinals we are about to watch in 2024 won't resemble the last-place group from 2023 that struggled through the finish line.

“You’ve got a very motivated, hungry team to win,” Brendan Donovan said in a matter-of-fact manner. “You will see a different product out there this year.”

All of this came before before manager Oli Marmol shared Sunday night during the St. Louis Baseball Writers' Dinner that Donovan spent parts of this offseason on Zoom calls with the manager and veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to discuss the characteristics they want the 2024 team to embody when its members report to Jupiter's Roger Dean Stadium in mass for spring training.

If it was quiet before, it isn't anymore: Donovan is emerging as one of this organization’s new player leaders. It’s why I didn't expect him to be traded this offseason. It's a big reason why he's still here.

As the Cardinals pursued pitching help in previous months, weighing free-agent possibilities against trade scenarios, potential trade partners wanted the Cardinals’ young position players, including 26-year-old Donovan. What those teams discovered was Donovan, who was appealing both because of his defensive versatility and contract affordability, was close to off limits. His ability and willingness, even eagerness, to bounce around the field is highly valued by his team. So is his robust on-base percentage. And increasingly so is an emerging clubhouse presence and motivating leadership style younger players gravitate toward and veterans respect.

“It’s special,” Donovan said about the Cardinals holding on to him. “I want to be here. I want to play here for a long time."

But he has zero interest in any more seasons resembling 2023, and he's not going to be shy about that. One because the Cardinals fell down early and never recovered. Two because he couldn't finish the grind. Donovan was shut down in late July for season-ending surgery to repair a flexor tendon injury.

Gorman said he wonders where Donovan would have wound up last season if he had not gotten hurt. In 95 games Donovan lifted his on-base plus slugging percentage from .773 to .787 while more than doubling his 2022 home-run total (from five to 11) in 64 fewer at-bats.

"It would have been special," Gorman said. "When you talk about being consistent, he’s almost as consistent as they come. Never too high. Never too low. He doesn’t take one game into the next. He’s a guy I look up to. He’s been that way through his whole career, through the minor leagues and everything."

Donovan's surgically repaired right arm was confined to a brace for a month. He couldn't even sweat because the incision required time to heal. He could read, though, so he started digging into books and materials about how to improve as a leader. The best way, everyone agrees, includes action.

Donovan has gone from building his endurance back up with stationary bicycle sprints to putting on his spikes and launching balls across the infield. The first throw was a lollipop. Now, the heat has returned. He has two weeks left of a throwing program and his hitting program shifts gears into live hitting next week. It's all happening in Jupiter, where Donovan and his wife have relocated to be close to the team's home away from St. Louis.

"My goal is that when I show up, and you guys show up, nobody can tell," Donovan said. "Nobody knows I had a surgery. Hopefully it looks even better. More crisp. More fluid. That’s the goal. Nobody knows."

What was becoming known toward the end of last season is crystal clear now. Donovan can speak for the team and be one of the voices that holds its members accountable when needed. It's gone from being accepted from him to being expected from him. The Cardinals insist they want to become more accountable internally. If someone strays now, they're going to hear about it.

"Donny," Walker said, "is a driver."

“He’s stoic, man,” Walker added. “He will tell you exactly how it is. I wouldn’t want it any other way. He will hurt your feelings. That’s for sure. That’s a good thing about him. He gets to the point. He makes it short and quick. But you know he loves you and he wants the best for you. So when he sees you’re doing something wrong, he will let you know.”

The truth is Donovan didn’t want to hang it up early last season. He hated the idea of walking away from the team despite his injury and remained determined to take designated-hitter reps despite his inability to play in the field until the Cardinals' chances of some miracle run to make the playoffs were shot.

"When you are part of something and you put a lot into it and then you get sidelined by something you can’t control, it sucks," he said. "If anything, it just motivates you a little more."

His arm is ready for spring training. His voice is louder and still growing. His team is listening and liking what it hears.

"There are no days off in leadership," Donovan said. "That’s the way we are going to take. It’s all about accountability. It’s about standards and expectations. We are going to build this organization. We are going to reestablish it for the core values. Yes, I’m going to do everything I can to speak up. And I’m just going to be myself. I try to lead by example, but I do believe there are times when you should speak."