Seattle Mariners: Don’t Make the Cal(l) for Raleigh yet
Seattle Mariners catcher prospect Cal Raleigh is tearing up Triple-A. With his success plus the M’s catchers struggling offensively, M’s fans would like to see him on the team. Not so fast, here’s why.
Catcher the most difficult positions in baseball. It’s a position where players take a lot of time to develop into contributors. They need the ability to call a great game, frame pitches for strikes, not allow passed balls, and stop base runners attempting to steal. It’s also an area that the Seattle Mariners have struggled to find consistency.
Besides pitcher, catcher is the only other position where a lack of offense is accepted. Yet, every team is on the hunt for the next catcher who can hit while being great behind the plate. *cough* Mike Zunino *cough.* The Seattle Mariners know this well.
Zunino is commended for his work with pitchers and behind the plate. It’s just his lack of frequent contact. On the other side of the coin, players like St. Louis’ Yadier Molina are tremendously special. The Mariners hope they have their own Molina in prospect Cal Raleigh. Some fans are calling for the Mariners to bring up Raleigh now. Starter Tom Murphy struggling to hit, as is Luis Torrens and Jesse Godoy.
Recent MLB history of top-catching prospects getting the call up is not kind. It’s been tough for Joey Bart (San Francisco Giants), Luis Campusano (San Diego Padres), Francisco Mejia (Tampa Bay Rays), and Sean Murphy (Oakland A’s). These players have a few things in common. All their scouting reports call for them to remain behind the plate while helping their team’s offense. They also have varying amounts of MLB experience. However, they all are struggling in the MLB. Now, the next Mariner prospect gaining a lot of attention is Raleigh.
Patience is a Virtue
He’s currently batting .356 AVG, with six home runs and 22 runs and RBI’s in 101 at-bats at Triple-A Tacoma. Add in the lack of productivity from current Mariners catchers, and the temptation to call up Raleigh to the Seattle Mariners grows by the day. Some of you might be in the group that’s calling for Raleigh to the big leagues. This is not the time for Raleigh to get the call.
As previously mentioned, catcher is a tough position to play at the highest level. Recently M’s fans saw wonder kid Jarred Kelenic struggle to make contact in the majors. He looked just as ready as Raleigh does. The Mariners’ offense needs help immediately. There’s no guarantee, however, that Raleigh will immediately help. Right now, the best course of action at catcher is to keep rolling with Murphy, Torrens, and Jose Godoy.
Another recent catching prospect that got the call early and is now having success is the Diamondbacks’ Carson Kelly. Arizona acquired Kelly when they sent Paul Goldschmidt to the Cardinals. At one time, he was tabbed to be Molina’s replacement. Kelly had a .154 average with 18 hits, zero home runs, and a .227 OBP in 117 at-bats when he was traded. Since moving to the desert, Kelly upped his game to .246 with 143 hits, 31 home runs, and a .343 OBP in 558 at-bats. It only took Kelly six years to make it to this point.
Maybe Raleigh is different; Buster Posey had 303 at-bats in Triple-A before his call-up to the majors. Fans can see how successful the San Francisco backstop is in the majors. But he’s the exception to the rule.
The Mariners have to let Raleigh develop in the minors before getting calling him up. Depending on how the season goes, it might be a good idea to bring him up in September for a taste of MLB action as a reward. M’s fans want Cal Raleigh on the team now. Recent results from other young catchers show patience is what works best.