The Mariners announced they’re selecting the contract of catching prospect Cal Raleigh. All-Star southpaw Yusei Kikuchi was placed on the COVID-19 injured list to create active and 40-man roster space. Additionally, utilityman Donovan Walton has been recalled from Triple-A Tacoma, while outfielder Taylor Trammell was optioned to Tacoma after last night’s game.
Raleigh is now set to make his major league debut. A third-round pick out of Florida State in 2018, the switch-hitting backstop has developed into one of the game’s more promising young catchers. After a pair of quality seasons in the low minors, Raleigh entered 2021 as one of the Mariners top prospects. Each of Baseball America, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs and Keith Law of the Athletic slotted him among the top ten farmhands in a strong system this year.
All three outlets laud Raleigh’s combination of power potential and solid receiving skills, with Longenhagen noting that he’s rated as a strong pitch framer throughout his amateur and minor league career. The general expectation among evaluators is that he’ll develop into an average or better regular behind the plate.
The M’s would have had to add Raleigh to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft at the end of the season, but he forced his way to the big leagues a bit early by performing well at Triple-A. Assigned to Tacoma for the first time this year, he’s hit .324/.377/.608 with nine home runs across 199 trips to the plate. Raleigh has slashed his strikeout rate to a personal-best 12.6% this year, swinging and missing at a lower-than-average 10.9% clip.
With the 48-42 Mariners hanging in the postseason picture, Raleigh will get an immediate opportunity to contribute to a playoff race. The Mariners catching trio of Luis Torrens, Tom Murphy and José Godoy has offered slightly below-average production on the season, although Torrens has been better lately after a bad start. It’s not a given that Raleigh will stick on the active roster from here on out, but his selection clears the way for him to contribute at the big league level down the stretch.
As for Kikuchi, there doesn’t seem to be much cause for concern. The 30-year-old has been feeling virus-like symptoms recently, but he’s fully vaccinated and has already tested negative for COVID-19, relays Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Assuming a follow-up test today comes back negative, he’ll be cleared to participate in the All-Star Game and return to the Mariners next week.
1 of 50 catchers they have rostered
5, 1 of 5 this year lol
If this keeps up, several members of the Orioles and D-Backs will make the final ASG rosters.
Kid is a stud. Legit talent at C.
Saw this kid live, liked him right away. A rocket arm and solid footwork, he has a ton of power but is tall and a long swing so I expect a lower average. A player I would love to see on my team.
It seems only fitting that Raleigh is, in fact, from North Carolina.
They already named a cigarette after him.
(Younger folks may not get the reference, but that’s Kool).
What’s a “cigarette”???? Oh, those things tweekers smoke as a secondary addiction.. but they’ll die off soon anyway. Kool!
A cigarette was the leading cause of death in America a d instead of listening to scientists senators took big tobaccos money and let them lie to the general public and say cigarettes dont cause lung cancer, in fact they are good for a cough, they will clear it right up. Remember that while your Making fun of tweakers and saying its kool, that these people were aloud to sell out peoples lives for money under the table and lie to everyone about science, remember that when the FDA says something is safe…
Any of you guys regular drinkers? I’m just curious if you’re standing on your soapbox while at the same time thinking alcohol or beer is much better for your body than cigarettes. But hey, at least you don’t look like a “tweaker” when you’re pounding your Truly, right?
You’re right, I look cool pounding Truly every night of the week
What does the FDA have to do with the chicanery that occurred with cigarette companies and Congress in the 50s and 60s? The FDA didn’t have a thing to do with tobacco regulation until the mid-90s. Some senators’ morally bankrupt actions five decades ago have nothing to do with the FDA and its own record, but go off I guess?
Btw, the Surgeon General and the Federal Trade Commission way back when were not fooled or bribed by Big Tobacco, and labels purporting the dangers of smoking were on packaging at the end of the 1960s, with TV ads soon to be banned as well. That some elected officials in one branch of government acted reprehensibly when it came time to inform and protect constituents doesn’t reflect poorly (or in any other way) on other officials put in place that did their job.
Curious if it is just a cup of coffee call up or if he will be the DH/ C .
I’m sure it all depends on how works out..performs. would be great if it does.
Catcher Russian roulette at Seattle
I’m not big on this kid. Hope he proves me wrong and plays great
I think he will be fine. Not a Valle or Wilson but still good. The switch hitting will help if he hits for a decent avg. I am guessing/hoping Torrens gets traded for someone decent. He needs a lot of work behind the plate. Too many passed balls under the mitt or him sticking the mitt out instead of sliding over and blocking it.
Yeah Torrens definitely has some issues behind the plate. Way too many passed balls. I doubt it he goes anywhere though. I think the Mariners would like to see how he continues to develop with the bat this year. We’ll see how Raleigh performs though because if he performs that can make a difference but if he struggles right away then definitely Torrens isnt going anywhere
Is it just me or has Raleigh been a bit underrated as a prospect? Guy looks like he’s going to mash.
Hes raw for sure. Always been on scouts radar but they have a tough time placing him on what he will be. Hitter or defender type. Came out pure hitter but has developed nicely in the minors with defense. He just needs to stay level headed and will be a .250 hitter with 25 homer potential by playing 125 games a year
Nah, the M’s just have a deep farm system.
So stoked been on this dude since before he was a mariner. Then was stoked he became a m. Dudes gonna mash.
congrats from Swanton VT