Former Florida State baseball catcher Cal Raleigh officially signed with the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
Raleigh was selected in the third round with the 90th overall pick in this year’s draft. He was one of the final unsigned picks from the first three rounds.
Raleigh’s willingness to hold out made it a genuine mystery as to whether or not he would actually sign. Returning to Florida State would have been a major development for the team, since Raleigh was one of their top players in 2018.
The junior catcher hit a team-high .326 with 13 home runs and a team-best 54 RBIs at the plate. He was inconsistent on defense, but still regarded as the top option at the position for FSU.
Seattle’s decision to draft Raleigh early in the process illustrates what they think about his potential. Raleigh could be a fast riser in the minor leagues, depending on how soon Seattle wants him ready. The deadline for MLB teams to sign their drafted prospects is Friday at 5 p.m.
Other Florida State players who signed professionally include:
Cole Sands (Twins)
Andrew Karp (Nationals)
Jackson Lueck (Royals)
Tyler Holton (Diamondbacks)
Brandon Howlett (Red Sox)
Rhett Aplin (Royals)
Cobi Johnson (Blue Jays)
Update (3 p.m.)
There is some discrepancy about what has been reported so far. According to Cal Raleigh’s father, Heyman’s tweet is incorrect. However, a senior writer at MLB.com confirmed that a deal had been agreed upon. We will update this story with the conclusion of the saga around 5:00 p.m. today.
Update (5:15 p.m.)
The draft tracker on MLB.com lists Raleigh as signed for $854,000. Still no official word from either the Mariners or Raleigh’s camp.
Update (5:40 p.m.)
The Daily Nole has received confirmation that Raleigh did in fact sign with the Mariners for the listed amount.
Clint Eiland is the lead writer for The Daily Nole. Follow him on Twitter @ClintEiland
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