How does a player who wins a Platinum Glove in 2024 and encores by becoming the first catcher to launch 60 homers in a season last 90 picks in the 2018 Draft? There were a lot of questions about Cal Raleigh coming out of Florida State. Fortunately for the Mariners, they had an area scout who could answer them.

Raleigh's raw power from both sides of the plate stood out, though he hadn't performed well with wood bats in the Cape Cod League two summers earlier and struggled at the plate as a Florida State sophomore. He bounced back as a junior, slashing .326/.447/.583 with 13 homers, but still received mixed reviews for his defense. MLB Pipeline ranked him as just the 150th-best prospect available and there were some signability concerns as well.

While area scouts don't decide whom thei

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