Player Profile:  Washington Alum Stefan Raeth

A spot in the MLB draft — even in the 17th round — was a no-brainer for Stefan Raeth.

“This is what I want to do with my life,” Raeth said. “I want to play this game as long as I can.”

In pursuit of his dream to play in the major leagues, Raeth, a California native and University of Washington (UW) baseball alum, has found himself on several rosters between California and Washington, recently returning to play for the Mariners’ High-A affiliate team, the Everett AquaSox.

A non-traditional path landed Raeth a spot on UW’s Division I roster.

Entering high school as a 5-foot-2 14-year-old, playing for a NCAA Division I program was unlikely. An offer from an MLB organization was outlandish. During his four years at Acalanes High School in Lafayette, California, Raeth put his head down and had a nine-inch growth spurt.

“He worked so hard for everything he got because he was undersized and kind of grew late and all that,” Justin Santich-Hughes, Raeth’s high school coach, said. “But he never complained. He always just kept his nose down and tried to outwork the people next to him.”

Coming out of high school, Raeth’s only offer was from a nearby junior college in Napa Valley, California. Determined to continue playing, he accepted.

“The program wasn't the best,” Raeth said. “We didn't have a home game until April because our field was flooded.”

After transferring, Raeth headed 40 miles southeast to another junior college in Pittsburg, California. As he was gearing up to return as a junior, an assistant coach from UW called looking for a pitcher.

Raeth fit the bill, but there was no guaranteed spot. He unenrolled from Los Medanos College and headed to Seattle after he was accepted into UW.

He spent two years as a walk-on pitcher at UW, earning all-conference recognition his senior year while working toward his degree from the Foster School of Business. Hoping to continue his baseball career, Raeth got the call from the Seattle Mariners on July 19, 2022, the third day of that year’s MLB draft.

“My parents were very firm in letting him know [that] baseball does not happen without school, and there are no guarantees that baseball works out … but he only had four classes left,” Simone Raeth, Stefan Raeth’s sister, said. “So we were like, you are so close to graduating. Go live your dream. Pursue it. And we will figure it out.”

Stefan Raeth left the state and was assigned to the Mariners’ Single-A team in California, the Modesto Nuts. He spent two years back in his home state, settling into the minor league system and putting school on pause.

“The first joke I made to my mom was [that] she raised a college dropout because I couldn't finish my degree,” Stefan Raeth said. “She didn't like it when I said that. She was like, ‘No, you're finishing school.’”

During the 2023 offseason, Stefan Raeth returned to the Pacific Northwest, living with family friends in Bellevue to complete two of his four remaining classes. After pitching his rookie season with the Modesto Nuts in 2023, he was assigned to the 2024 Opening Day roster with the Everett AquaSox in April, less than 30 miles from his college ballpark.

“It’s been nice being back because a lot of friends are still in the area,” Stefan Raeth said. “I have a day off on Monday and I get to go paddle boarding with some buddies.”

The proximity to UW also gives Stefan Raeth the opportunity to follow through on his promise to complete his degree. He plans to complete his final two classes alongside off-season training this fall.

For now, his focus — and his family’s focus — is trained on the field. Simone Raeth and her parents watch every AquaSox game, regardless of whether Stefan Raeth is pitching.

Though he is still two steps removed from stepping onto a major league mound, according to the Society for American Baseball Research, Stefan Raeth’s odds of making it to the major leagues now sit at approximately 10%, a dramatic increase from the approximately 0.5% chance he faced as a high schooler.

Deploying the same mentality he had as a high school player, Stefan Raeth seeks to earn each step up on the organization’s ladder with the ultimate goal of taking the mound at T-Mobile Park.

“You could ask any one of us on this team, ‘If it took you 10 years to get to the major leagues and you got to play for two, would you do it?’” Stefan Raeth said. “Every one of us would say yes … that’s what we accept going into it. It’s not going to be easy. So we accept the hard times and love the good times.”

LOOKING AHEAD: The AquaSox return home Saturday night for University of Washington - Bothell Alumni Night! First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. as the Frogs don the purple and gold for an evening. Additionally, the first 1,000 fans will be bringing home their very own AquaSox pickleball paddle courtesy of Russell & Hill. Finally, at the conclusion of the game against the Hops, we will host yet another Fireworks Extravaganza! Don’t miss out as we illuminate the Everett skyline with a miraculous display of booms and blasts thanks to our friends at Boeing!

ABOUT THE EVERETT AQUASOX: The Everett AquaSox are the High-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Everett is a member of the Northwest League and has been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the AquaSox moniker in 1995. For updates on the 2023 season, community initiatives, and Webbly appearances follow the Frogs on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, or visit our website, AquaSox.com. Flex tickets, ticket plans, group outings, and picnics outings can be purchased by calling (425) 258-3673 or visiting the AquaSox Front Office at 3802 Broadway.