Connect with us

Published

on

Catcher Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a six-year, $105 million contract extension, sources told ESPN, tying the reigning Platinum Glove winner to the franchise that drafted him into the next decade.

The 28-year-old Raleigh, a third-round pick out of Florida State in 2018, is a defensive stalwart and power threat from both sides of the plate whose propensity for clutch hits has endeared him to Seattle fans.

The extension, which will start this season, buys out three years of free agency. Raleigh was scheduled to make $5.6 million as a first-time arbitration-eligible player this year.

Nicknamed “Big Dumper” because of his ample posterior, Raleigh took over full-time catching duties for the Mariners in 2022 and immediately asserted himself as one of the best catchers in baseball. He repeated his success in his second full season and improved even more in 2024, hitting .220/.312/.436 with 34 home runs and 100 RBIs.

Between Raleigh’s arm and pitch-framing, he is regarded by evaluators as an elite defensive catcher — and was rewarded with the American League Gold Glove as well as the Platinum Glove, awarded to the best defensive player at any position in each league.

Raleigh has emerged as a leader in the clubhouse for Seattle, which enters the 2025 season with hopes of winning the AL West for the first time since 2001. The Mariners broke a two-decade-long playoff drought in 2022 but missed the postseason in 2023 and 2024 despite winning 88 and 85 games, respectively.

While the Mariners have found success based around their homegrown starting pitching, the two long-term contracts they’ve given are to Raleigh and center fielder Julio Rodriguez, who is signed through 2029, with a player option that would cover 2030-34.

Seattle could have a long window of contention ahead if their farm system — which is among the best in baseball — continues to produce high-level talent. Led by shortstop Cole Emerson, the Mariners feature a variety of position-playing prospects as well as pitchers, including 2024 draft picks Jurrangelo Cijntje (a switch pitcher) and right-hander Ryan Sloan.

Continue Reading

Sports

Cristobal: QB Beck cleared for summer workouts

Published

on

By

Cristobal: QB Beck cleared for summer workouts

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — Miami coach Mario Cristobal said Monday that quarterback Carson Beck has been cleared to participate in all team summer activities and is approaching 100 percent following elbow surgery last year.

Cristobal said Beck has been throwing for the past three weeks as part of his rehab regimen. Beck missed all of spring practice and has yet to throw to Miami’s receivers as part of organized team activities. But that is all about to change when Miami begins summer workouts next week.

“He’s good to go,” Cristobal told ESPN at the ACC spring meetings. “He’s exceeding every benchmark.”

Beck underwent surgery on his right elbow to repair his ulnar collateral ligament, which he injured on the final play of the first half in second-ranked Georgia‘s 22-19 overtime win against Texas in the SEC championship game Dec. 7.

Beck started at Georgia for two seasons, going 24-3, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had him rated as the No. 5 quarterback for the 2025 draft. But given his injury and inconsistent performance in 2024, Beck entered the portal in January. He quickly opted for Miami, where he will replace No. 1 NFL draft pick Cam Ward.

Beck threw for 7,426 yards over his two seasons as Georgia’s starter, fifth most among all FBS passers since 2023, with 57 total touchdowns and 23 turnovers.

Continue Reading

Sports

Canes LB Hayes out of hospital after tragic crash

Published

on

By

Canes LB Hayes out of hospital after tragic crash

Miami Hurricanes linebacker Adarius Hayes, who was one of the drivers in a two-vehicle crash that left three people dead and at least two others injured, has been released from the hospital, the university said Monday.

The three people who died as a result of the crash were all in a Kia Soul, which collided with a Dodge Durango being driven by Hayes on Saturday afternoon in Largo, Florida, police said.

A 78-year-old woman who was driving the Kia and two of her passengers — 10-year-old Jabari Elijah Solomon and 4-year-old Charlie Herbert Solomon Riveria — died in the crash, police said. Another passenger in the Kia was hospitalized with serious injuries, police said.

No tickets or criminal charges have been filed, though the investigation is continuing.

“We are deeply saddened to learn the crash resulted in three fatalities, as confirmed by Largo Police, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those lost,” the Hurricanes said in a statement.

The school is still working to gather further information.

“There were no signs of impairment with either driver of the vehicles,” Largo Police public information officer Megan Santo said in a statement distributed Sunday.

Hayes, a four-star recruit coming out of Largo High, played in 12 games for the Hurricanes as a freshman in 2024, mostly on special teams. He finished the season with four tackles and one interception, which he returned 25 yards in Miami’s 56-9 victory over Florida A&M on Sept. 7.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

NCAA prez is open to Trump’s idea of commission

Published

on

By

NCAA prez is open to Trump's idea of commission

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — NCAA president Charlie Baker said Monday he was “up for anything” when asked about a President Donald Trump-proposed commission on collegiate athletics.

Reports surfaced last week that Trump was going to create the commission.

While his conversations at ACC meetings with league football coaches, men’s and women’s basketball coaches, athletic directors and other school officials focused on governance and the pending House settlement, Baker was asked during an informal media availability for his thoughts on the presidential commission.

“I think the fact that there’s an interest on the executive side on this, I think it speaks to the fact that everybody is paying a lot of attention right now to what’s going on in college sports,” Baker said.

“I’m up for anything that can help us get somewhere.”

Baker noted the NCAA has already spent time in Washington asking for congressional help that is focused on three big issues. Among the biggest: a patchwork of state laws that relate to how collegiate athletics work in individual states; and whether student-athletes should be considered employees.

“I think [Congress] can help us. I really do,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said during an interview with ACC Network. “We have been very bold in the desire for a national standard when it comes to name, image and likeness. We need to make sure that we have something that comes out of Washington that connects all 50 of the states because we’ve had a piecemeal project and it’s really undermined college sports. It’s been a race to the bottom. So that’s one. Two is we need some legal protection. We cannot sustain one legal case after another legal case after another legal case. A reaffirmation that these are student-athletes. Those three things to me will be very important to see if that can come out of the commission.”

Baker said, “People in our office have talked to folks who are working on this, but I don’t think they’ve decided the framework around who they want to put on.”

When asked whether he felt the creation of a commission would enhance the NCAA’s chances at legislative relief, Baker said, “I don’t have a crystal ball on that one. I don’t know. I do think, though, that it’s quite clear at this point that there are a lot of people interested in college sports, and we do need some help at some point to create some clarity around some of these issues in Washington. Creating clarity one lawsuit at a time is just a really bad way to try to move forward.”

Continue Reading

Trending