Mariners' Cal Raleigh: Could see playing time in '20
Raleigh is likely to frequently be designated the third catcher on the team's three-man taxi squad this season and could see some regular-season playing time, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "He's still learning all the pitchers and their nuances, certainly some of the older guys, but this is a good opportunity for him," manager Scott Servais said. "He's a guy that's going to show up here at some point and play a big role for us behind the plate, there's no question about that."
The 23-year-old backstop has Tom Murphy and Austin Nola ahead of him on the depth chart, but Johns makes a case for Raleigh getting his first taste of regular-season big-league action at some point in 2020. If Murphy, who's expected to serve as the primary backstop, misses some time during the 60-game campaign, Nola, who only has four games of experience behind the dish, will likely need some help manning the position. Raleigh has yet to play above the Double-A level and struggled to a .228 average and .296 on-base percentage in 39 games there last season, but he's worked closely with Mariners Hall of Fame catcher Dan Wilson during summer camp and has caught the eye of his boss. "Cal's having a good camp," Servais said. "He swings the bat really well and certainly has power from both sides of the plate. The catching side has really impressed me with his arm strength in this camp and some of the drills."
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