TJ Cotterill
The News Tribune
The Seattle Mariners lost another one of their top prospects to a season-ending injury.
Outfielder Braden Bishop, the former University of Washington standout, posted on Twitter than the ball that he suffered a fractured forearm when he was hit by a pitch in Thursday’s game with Double-A Arkansas.
Bishop was also one of the Travelers’ six Texas League North Division All-Stars, alongside pitchers Nathan Bannister, Chase De Jong and Johendi Jiminian, as well as first baseman Joey Curletta and infielder Chris Mariscal.
“Unfortunately my season is over,” Bishop tweeted. “It’s a tough pill to swallow for many reasons. I’m going to miss the guys I laced it up with everyday, we grew together and I think that showed in the way we played off each other.”
Bishop was the No. 5 prospect in the Mariners’ organization as ranked by Baseball America before the season. Their No. 3 prospect and top pitcher, right-hander Sam Carlson, underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery and the 19-year-old could miss all of the 2019 season, as well.
But with the Travelers out a Mariners prospect, they gained another one.
Kyle Lewis, their top prospect and 2016 first-round draft pick takes Bishop’s spot with Double-A Arkansas and was promoted from high Single-A Modesto on Saturday.
Lewis recently played in the MLB Futures Game — the Mariners’ lone representative — and he’s hitting .260/.303/.429 in 49 games with Modesto. Lewis missed some time earlier in the season recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. He tore his ACL and his medial and lateral meniscus in a home-plate collision with short-season Single-A Everett in July 2015.
Lewis is ranked at No. 100 on Baseball America’s top MLB prospects list, the only Mariners prospect in their rankings.
Bishop was hitting .284/.361/.412 in 84 games with the Travelers with 70 runs scored, eight home runs, 33 RBI and five stolen bases and was coming off Texas League player of the month honors when he hit .379 (39-for-103) in June, leading the league in average, runs, hits and on-base percentage (.443).
Bishop was invited to the Mariners’ big-league camp during spring training and united the team behind his cause, 4Mom, which raises awareness for finding a cure for Alzheimer’s. His mother, Suzy Bishop, was diagnosed four years ago with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, which has no cure
Raleigh reports
Mariners third-round pick Cal Raleigh, a catcher out of Florida State University, made his professional debut this week with short-season Single-A Everett — and he had two hits.
But he didn’t decide to turn professional until the day of the deadline for underclass draft picks to either sign or return to college.
“It was a really tough decision,” Raleigh said over the phone. “I had three great years at Florida State. It became my second home. It’s a lot harder than people think. because it’s a place I obviously fell in love with, but it’s been my dream ever since I was little to be playing pro baseball, to play in the bigs.
“But I was very close (to returning to Florida State). It was a hard decision.”
Ultimately the switch-hitting catcher chose the family business and a $854,000 contract. His father, Todd Raleigh, had signed in the Boston Red Sox organization and his uncle, Matt, was drafted by the Montreal Expos, and played in Double-A ball alongside Mariners scouting director, Scott Hunter.
“Having them meant everything,” Raleigh said. “Especially my dad. He’s been there for me and taught me everything I know. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.
“I always hear stories from their careers. It’s awesome that I get to do this and maybe my kids will get here one day, too.”
