Ranking Cal Raleigh and the Mariners' 8 all-time MLB Draft steals

The MLB draft has been kind to the Mariners in recent years, with big stars such as Logan Gilbert and George Kirby coming out of the first round. However, the team's best player, Cal Raleigh, was chosen in the third round. That might be looked at in ten years as one of the greatest steals in draft history. Today, let's look back at eight of the Mariners biggest draft steals in franchise history.

1. Kyle Seager: 3rd Round, pick 2 (No. 82 overall) in 2009

This spot could eventually go to Cal Raleigh, but for now, Kyle Seager remains the Mariners' biggest draft steal of all time. Picked No. 82 overall in the third round, Seager would become the best third baseman in franchise history by a long shot. His 34.1 career fWAR ranks fifth among offensive players in Mariners' history. He also ranks fifth in runs scored (705), fourth in RBI (807), third in doubles (309), fourth in home runs (242), and fifth in walks (533).

2. Alvin Davis: 6th Round, Pick 6 (No. 138 overall) in 1982

The man who would eventually be known as "Mr. Mariner" was not drafted by Seattle until the sixth round of the 1982 draft. He went on to win AL Rookie of the Year in 1984 and spend eight seasons in Seattle. He still ranks fifth in team history in RBI (667) and is fourth in walks (672). With 21.2 fWAR, he is the 12th-most valuable Mariner of all time.

3. Cal Raleigh: 3rd Round, Pick 12 (No. 93 overall) in 2018

If Raleigh's career ended today, he'd already have the most fWAR of any Mariners catcher, at 20.2. He's already climbed into the team's top 20 overall despite only being in his fifth season as a Mariner. That's in large part due to his historic ascent in 2025. Raleigh is currently leading baseball with 38 home runs and is tied for the league lead with 82 RBI. He's on pace to become the first catcher ever to achieve a 10-WAR season, and he just won the Home Run Derby.

4. Raul Ibanez: 36th Round, Pick 14 (No. 1006 overall) in 1992

If you are ranking these steals purely based on where they were drafted, Ibanez takes the cake. He's the only player in team history drafted outside the top 400 who would go on to accumulate at least 10 fWAR. What makes it more ridiculous is that Ibanez was not even among the first 1,000 players drafted in 1992. Nevertheless, he would go on to spend 11 seasons in Seattle across three stints. As a Mariner, he hit 156 home runs and 216 doubles, while driving in 612 runs, the seventh most RBI in team history.

5. James Paxton: 4th Round, Pick 17 (No. 132 overall) in 2010

Injuries limited Paxton to just 103 starts over seven years with the Mariners, or else he would likely be much higher. He averaged only 15 starts per season with Seattle, but still provided plenty of highlights, including a no-hitter. He finished his Seattle career with a 3.42 ERA, tied for sixth in franchise history. His 13.7 career fWAR in Seattle is 10th among Mariners pitchers.

6. Phil Bradley: 3rd Round, Pick 1 (No. 53 overall) in 1981

The 1981 third-rounder went on to become one of Seattle's earliest stars. He spent five years in Seattle, from 1983 until 1987. During that stretch, he slashed .301/.382/.449 for an OPS+ of 124. He was an All-Star in 1985, when he hit 26 home runs and knocked in 88 runs. His .301 average ranks fifth in team history, while his .382 OBP ranks fourth.

7. Joel Pineiro: 12th Round, Pick 19 (No. 373 overall) in 1997

The 12th-round pick from 1997 turned into a productive starter for the Mariners for seven years. He accumulated 11.8 fWAR, and ranks ninth in team history with 58 wins. He is tied for seventh in games started (148) and ranks seventh in innings pitched (996). His 658 strikeouts in Seattle rank tenth in team history.

8. Bryan Woo: 6th Round, Pick 12 (No. 174 overall) in 2021

Woo is more of an honorable mention, at least for now. He was a sixth-round pick who has since blossomed to become an All-Star. Woo will need to keep it up to climb the list of draft steals, but he has put together an impressive stretch of baseball over the past two years. In 2024 and 2025, Woo has made 40 starts with a 2.82 ERA over 236 innings of work.