Mariners' superstar Cal Raleigh was supposed to play for Atlanta Braves
This would've been quite the plot twist.
Mariners' superstar Cal Raleigh was supposed to play for Atlanta Braves originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Atlanta Braves wanted Cal Raleigh.
That was made clear by a new story in the Seattle Times this week, and it's maybe the first time such information has been so publicly known. When the 2018 MLB Draft rolled around, Raleigh's agent Scott Boras "had negotiates a handshake deal for the Braves to select Raleigh in the fourth round and give him a $1 million signing bonus," writes the Seattle Times. The report even indicates that Boras told other teams not to pick Raleigh, who could still return for his senior season at Florida State.
The Mariners "decided to gamble and select Raleigh," the story adds. They ended up signing him for $864,000, close to but not equal the bonus Raleigh would've gotten with the Braves. They chose him in the third round, not letting him get to the Braves in the fourth.
MORE: Big Papi's son has a special moment for the Red Sox Their instincts proved correct. Raleigh has developed into a superstar. He's one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, and he just went from solid power to a season in which he slugged 60 home runs.