TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Junior catcher Cal Raleigh, a first-team All-ACC selection and second-team All-American in 2018, was the first of seven Seminoles taken in the MLB First-Year Player Draft over the past two days. Raleigh was the third round selection of the Seattle Mariners, getting drafted 90th overall.
FSU’s five picks over the first two days are the Seminoles most ever in the first 10 rounds, tied with the 1991 draft class. FSU’s 16 draft picks since last season are the most in a two-year span in school history.
Earlier Wednesday, Raleigh was named the National Hitter of the Month by the NCBWA after hitting .452 over 15 games in May. Raleigh set career highs with 13 home runs, 18 doubles, 75 hits and a .326 batting average this season.
Joining Raleigh in the draft on Tuesday was RHP Cole Sands (Twins, 5th Round); RHP Andrew Karp (Nationals, 6th Round); OF Jackson Lueck (Royals, 8th Round); and LHP Tyler Holton (9th Round, Diamondbacks). Holton announced on Wednesday that he will forgo next season at Florida State to turn pro.
On Wednesday,senior first baseman Rhett Aplin was also taken by the Royals (28th Round). Redshirt junior pitcher Cobi Johnson went in the 30th Round to the Toronto Blue Jays. Johnson, the son of Blue Jays bullpen coach Dane Johnson, is the first Seminole drafted by Toronto since Luke Tucker in 2006.
Sands was previously drafted out of high school in the 22nd Round by the Astros. Karp (34th, Cubs) and Holton (35th, Marlins) were taken after their sophomore seasons in 2017 but elected to return to Florida State for another year. Johnson was a 35th Round pick of the Padres out of J.W. Mitchell High in 2014 and a 29th Round choice of the Angels in 2017.
Raleigh is the highest-drafted FSU catcher since Buster Posey in 2008 (first round). Lueck and Aplin are the first FSU position players taken by the Royals since Craig Patterson (2B) in 1979.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, or keep up with the team on social media through Twitter (@FSUBaseball), Facebook (/FSUBaseball), and Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
| Rd.-Pick | Player | Team |
| 3-90 | Cal Raleigh | Seattle Mariners |
| 5-154 | Cole Sands | Minnesota Twins |
| 6-191 | Andrew Karp | Washington Nationals |
| 8-242 | Jackson Lueck | Kansas City Royals |
| 9-279 | Tyler Holton | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 28-842 | Rhett Aplin | Kansas City Royals |
| 30-896 | Cobi Johnson | Toronto Blue Jays |
