Tai

Peete

Peete is the Cardinals’ 17th-ranked prospect, but was a first-round pick by the Mariners in 2023. The 21-year-old is hitting .328/.410/.612 in 16 AFL games and is tied for the second-most stolen bases and second-most triples. He’s making himself part of the Cardinals’ future plans.

Peete has been the star of the Arizona Fall League so far. The 21-year-old is hitting .365/.459/.731 in 13 games with two home runs, four triples, nine RBI, 10 steals, and a 15/9 K/BB ratio. Peete missed two months of the 2026 season with an illness, but he has a real chance to start 2027 at Triple-A and be just one step away from making his MLB debut. He’s looking like a major win for the Cardinals, who acquired him from the Mariners for Brendan Donovan last offseason.

Four straight games with a triple is pretty cool. It’s a feat pulled off only once in MLB this century, that by Nomar Garciaparra in 2003. Peete is batting .348/.423/.674 and is 7-for-9 stealing bases through 11 games.

Peete was everywhere in this one. The 21-year-old now has six steals, three doubles, and two triples in AFL action, while hitting .361 with a 1.091 OPS. Peete, who came over in an offseason trade for Brendan Donovan, missed over two months this season with an illness, but finished the year strong at Double-A. He figures to start there again in 2027, but a hot start, paired with his strong AFL results, could lead to a Triple-A promotion in short order.

Peete is a 2023 first-round pick of the Seattle Mariners who was traded to the Cardinals in the Brendan Donovan deal. He has gone 6-for-14 in three games in the AFL with a home run, two RBI, and three steals. On the season, he hit .296/.359/.549 in 66 games across two levels while registering 13 home runs and 16 steals. He ended the season with 21 games at Double-A and will likely begin 2027 there as well.

Peete is just 20, but his second full year in the Mariners system was pretty disappointing, as he hit .217/.288/.404 with 162 strikeouts in 529 plate appearances at High-A Everett. A converted infielder, he shows plenty of speed in center, and he definitely still offers ample power potential. However, his swing-and-miss tendencies have dropped his stock.

It’s a three-team deal that will send Mariners prospects Jurrangelo Cijinte and Tai Peete to the Cardinals, says Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, and third baseman Ben Williamson from the Mariners to the Rays, according to USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale. The Rays will be parting with outfielder Colton Ledbetter and a Comp B draft pick (slated to be the 72nd or 73rd pick overall), with both going to the Cardinals. Donovan, who has been part of trade rumors all winter, seems likely to play third for Seattle with Williamson gone, though he’s also very much an option at second base and in left field. The Mariners would have the 2025 NL All-Star under control for the next two years.