[1] The exceptional play earned him a mid-season advancement to the Class AA Texas League Houston Buffaloes.

[1] After his most successful season yet, Donohue was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals to participate in the Florida West Coast Winter Instructional League.

He pulled double duty as a starter and reliever, starting 18 games and playing the relief role in 16.

That off-season he was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the Rule 5 draft, opening the door for his major league career.

He then began 1962 with the Angels, working in a dozen games (11 of them in relief) until, on May 29, he was traded for a veteran hurler yet again, this time in exchange for the Minnesota Twins' Don Lee.

But Donohue was ineffective in six appearances in a Minnesota uniform, losing his only decision and allowing eight earned runs in 101⁄3 innings pitched.

In his 70 major league games, which included nine starts, Donohue posted a 6–8 career record with an earned run average of 4.29.