CAL RALEIGH

Catcher | 6-foot-3, 215 pounds | Bats: Switch | Throws: Right | Age: 23

Mariners prospect ranking: No. 8 (MLB Pipeline)

Path to Peoria: Drafted in the third round by the Mariners in 2018 out of Florida State. Led Short-A Everett in home runs (eight) in his debut professional season, playing 38 games. Started 2019 with High-A Modesto, and was named Cal League Rookie of the Year despite appearing in just 82 games before he was promoted to Double-A Arkansas in July. This is his second major league camp invite.

Projected debut year: 2021

Scouting report: Raleigh made it to Double-A his first full season of professional ball after tearing up the lower rungs of the minors. He knocked 10 doubles and eight homers and logged 29 RBI in just 38 games with Short-A Everett after he was drafted. Despite playing just 82 games at the High-A level last spring before he was promoted to Arkansas, Raleigh was among Cal League leaders in home runs (tied third, 22), RBI (ninth, 66) and extra-base hits (tied 15th, 41). He wasn’t quite as explosive when he reached Double-A in July, but still hit .228/.296/.414 with six doubles, seven homers and 16 RBI in 39 games with the Travelers. So, in short, add him to the list of catchers who can hit. His defense can play, too. He has a good arm — he’s already caught two base stealers this spring — and solid receiving and framing skills. And the opportunity to work with major league pitchers for two springs in a row only boosts his already impressive ledger.

By the numbers: Raleigh has hammered 37 home runs in 159 games across two seasons with Everett, Modesto and Arkansas, and has a career slugging percentage of .506.

Quotable: “This is an exciting time to be a Mariner right now, because going up everybody knows what the plan is. We’re all really excited. We all have the same goal. We want to accomplish getting to the big leagues and having a winning team up there, and hopefully get to the postseason and see what happens there.”

MARINERS FACES OF THE FUTURE

Here’s what an average day in Peoria looks like for up-and-coming Seattle Mariners catching prospect Cal Raleigh this spring:

It starts with an early morning arrival at the club’s facility. Depending on the day, he either gets some weight lifting in, works on some body maintenance or stretches. Then there’s some early hitting in the cage, and some early catching work.

All of that happens before breakfast. He likes to keep it simple when he heads back inside to eat — maybe some fruit, or some eggs.

Then there’s a clubhouse meeting, and it’s back outside for his throwing program, individual defensive work — whatever the specific drill is that day for catchers — and team defensive work.

That’s followed by catching bullpen sessions, and maybe a live batting practice or simulated game if a pitcher is scheduled for one.

Then he joins his teammates for batting practice on one of the practice fields, heads back inside, and gets ready for that day’s game.

The days for catchers at spring training are long, taxing and full of activity, but Raleigh, projected to be Seattle’s No. 1 catcher someday, is enjoying every moment.

“It’s going really well,” he said. “I’m enjoying it. I’m enjoying being around all of the big leaguers and the coaching staff. It’s just been a lot of fun so far.”

This is Raleigh’s second big league camp. He was invited last season, too, fresh off a breakout performance in his first professional season with Short-A Everett, and just tried to soak the experience in.

“Last year, I didn’t really know what to expect,” Raleigh said. “Going into it, I was kind of wide-eyed a little bit. I just stayed to myself and tried to stay under the radar.

“This year I have more of an idea of what’s going on. I feel like I belong. I just know a lot more of the guys now, and feel a lot more comfortable being in there.”

Last season he was a fly on the wall, trying to understand how to prepare and attack the day like big leaguers do, and learning the system, but this year, along with Mariners catchers Tom Murphy and Austin Nola, he’s much more vocal and involved in the processes he learned a year ago.

“Cal has a really good demeanor about him,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “It starts with his preparation. Just hearing the stories on the things he does leading into a minor league game. The data and information that we now have at the minor league level is crazy, and people get blown away. We are just trying to get those guys ready for what it’s going to be like in the big leagues. Cal does a really good job with that.

“Earning trust with the Logan Gilberts of the world, and a lot of those young pitchers in that room, he’s really good at it. I’m looking forward to seeing him playing this spring too, more regularly. We got him in there a few times last year, but he’ll get more of a chance this spring.”

Raleigh has appeared behind the plate for the Mariners in six games this spring, starting two, and said the opportunity to catch big league pitchers — and some who are on their way to Seattle sooner rather than later — has been very valuable.

“The longer you get to know somebody, the more comfortable they feel throwing to you,” Raleigh said. “If I can start building the relationships now, it’s going to be better in the long haul.

“I’ve caught a lot of those guys in there which I think is very good. It’s kind of rare, especially if you’re going up through the minors, you don’t always catch the same guys or have guys that are going to be in the big leagues. It’s definitely going to help me out in the long run, and hopefully them if they have a catcher they’re familiar with.”

And with all of the young players the Mariners have in camp this season, there’s been plenty of time for all of them to get familiar with each other — if they aren’t already.

“It’s kind of fun to be in there with guys you know and guys you’ve played with,” Raleigh said. “This is an exciting time to be a Mariner right now, because going up everybody knows what the plan is.

“We’re all really excited. We all have the same goal. We want to accomplish getting to the big leagues and having a winning team up there, and hopefully get to the postseason and see what happens there.”

Raleigh said it’s exciting to feel this close to the majors after the way he’s rocketed through the minors the past two years, but he’ll continue to put his head down and work regardless of where he’s sent this spring.

“Wherever they send me I’m going to be to be ready to play, I want to be prepared and be the best player I can be, catcher I can be,” he said. “Help out the pitchers, just try to win wherever I go and let the rest take care of itself.

“Obviously I do want to get to the big leagues. Who doesn’t? That’s for them to decide. I’ll be ready to go.”

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 9:44 AM.

Lauren Smith

The News Tribune

360-754-5473

Lauren Smith is a sports reporter at The News Tribune. She has covered high school sports for TNT and The Olympian, as well as the Seattle Mariners and Washington Huskies. She is a graduate of UW and Emerald Ridge High School.