Top catching prospect Cal Raleigh getting valuable experience in Mariners camp
Seattle Mariners top catching prospect Cal Raleigh was one of a handful of prospects to get big league exposure last fall, when he joined the Mariners clubhouse for a week in September.
But, to be working out on the field with the Mariners at T-Mobile Park every day during summer camp? That’s been even better.
“It’s awesome,” Raleigh said on a video call with reporters following Thursday’s intrasquad game. “First walking in here, and getting on the field, and stretching and doing all of that cool stuff was surreal. Getting to be here practicing is really awesome.”
The 23-year-old switch-hitting catcher has been invited to major league spring training the past two seasons, spent this spring catching many of Seattle’s starters and up-and-coming prospects, and has continued on with that workload in summer camp.
“It’s a lot of fun getting to catch who are going to be in the big leagues,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun to see what’s going on, what they’re trying to work on, what they’re trying to accomplish.
“It’s fun I get to be a part of it every day. It’s fun to be around the guys.”
As the Mariners enter their third week of camp, Raleigh said he’s continuing to try to get “back into the swing of things.”.
He hit .251/.323/.497 with 25 doubles, 29 homers and 82 RBI in 121 games with High-A Modesto and Double-A Arkansas in 2019 and appeared in eight Cactus League games for the Mariners this spring before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down baseball for three months.
He is one of five catchers in Mariners camp — joining presumptive starters Tom Murphy and Austin Nola, as well as offseason pickups Joe Hudson and Brian O’Keefe — and continues to get in valuable reps with the big league club before his debut. He has played in five of Seattle’s seven intrasquad games so far.
“We’re starting to see Cal’s personality come out,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said during his daily video call with reporters Thursday. “ … He’s pretty quiet. Starting to see him loosen up a little bit, which is great to see, and he’s having a good camp. He swings the bat really well certainly got power from both sides of the plate.
“The catching side, he’s really impressed me with his arm strength this camp, and some of the drills we’ve done. Watching it in the games, he can throw, there’s no question about it.
“Still learning all the pitchers and their nuances … but good opportunity for him to continue to learn, and a guy that’s going to show up here at some point and play a big role with us behind the plate.”
Raleigh said he has also worked often with former Mariners All-Star catcher Dan Wilson, who is now a special assistant on the Mariners’ player development staff, during camp.
“Just getting to talk to him and be around him every day is helping a lot and helping speed up the process,” Raleigh said. “ … We’ve been able to talk a lot and go over certain things in the game, whether it’s defense, offense, pitching, pitch calling, etc. It’s been a lot of fun working with him.”
Like most of Seattle’s other top prospects, Raleigh is expected to join the taxi squad in Tacoma when the Mariners break camp next week, but said he will continue to prepare as if this were a normal season.
“I’m going to treat it just like any other season,” he said. “Obviously it’s a shortened version. Just kind of have to rewind and feel like I’m going back to college, play some intrasquad games and get ready for a 60-game season.
“I don’t know what the plans are, and I don’t think anybody does, but my job is to be ready to go whenever I get my name called.”
DUNN, SHEFFIELD SETTLE IN
Mariners starters Justin Dunn and Justus Sheffield, who were both making their second starts of intrasquad play, settled in after reaching their respective pitch limits in the first inning.
Dunn completed his three scoreless “innings” allowing two hits and a walk while striking out four on 49 pitches. Sheffield allowed the game’s only run on three hits while striking out four in his three frames on 50 pitches.
Both young starters should appear in one more intrasquad game before the Mariners open the regular season, and will be among the six pitchers in Seattle’s rotation, joining Marco Gonzales, Yusei Kikuchi, Kendall Graveman and Taijuan Walker.
Dunn and Sheffield have been the team’s only two starters to oppose each other during intrasquad play, and Sheffield said the opportunity to work together coming up through the Mariners minor league system has benefitted them both.
“We talk every day about pitching, every day about our outings, how we felt,” Sheffield said. “We’ve talked about feeding off each other in the past because we’re the youngest two pitchers on the team, so we still have a lot to learn. Especially from the guys in front of us. The Marcos, the Kendalls, the Taijuans, the Yuseis.
“We can learn from those guys, but I feel like where we’re going to benefit off of the most is feeding off of each other, helping each other out because he really understands my mechanics, I understand his mechanics. When he’s off, I can tell when he’s off and kind of get him back on track, and vice versa.
“It’s been helpful playing with Dunn for the past two years, so as long as we keep going and pushing each other, I feel like we’re going to be pretty good in the future.”
SHORT HOPS
The Pilots won their second consecutive intrasquad game Thursday afternoon, topping the Steelheads, 1-0 in 6 1/2 innings. Despite the shutout loss, the Steelheads continue to lead the intrasquad series, 4-2-1. … Tom Murphy, acting as a designated hitter instead of his normal catching role due to a foot contusion, Kyle Seager and Tim Lopes logged the only hits for the Steelheads. … This year’s third-round draft pick, second baseman Kaden Polcovich, recorded his first hit of intrasquad play on a triple to left. Outfielder Braden Bishop also logged his first hit on a double to the gap in left center in the first inning. He then scored the game’s only run on a single by Austin Nola. Jose Marmolejos (double) and Donovan Walton also recorded hits for the Pilots. … The squads combined for 19 strikeouts in their 44 total at-bats. … Relievers Taylor Guilbeau (two strikeouts), Brandon Brennan, Art Warren (two strikeouts), Carl Edwards Jr. and Vancouver native Taylor Williams (two strikeouts) each threw scoreless innings. Sam Delaplane pitched a pair of innings and struck out three. … Mariners director of major league operations Jack Mosimann filled in in left field during Thursday’s game and recorded one at-bat, striking out against Williams.
ON TAP
The Mariners have an off day Friday and will play their eighth intrasquad game Saturday, beginning at 6:10 p.m. Seattle’s final five scrimmages before they depart for Houston on July 23 will be night games.
Eight innings are planned for Saturday’s game and nine are planned for Sunday. Players projected to make Seattle’s 30-man roster will see more significant playing time the final five games, Servais said.
Weekday games are streamed live on the Mariners’ YouTube and Twitch channels.
