Coming out of spring, Stevenson jumped a level within the organization and was assigned to the High-A AquaSox. And so far, Stevenson is taking the lessons he learned in the spring with him.

Stevenson has slashed .319/.468/.511 with a .979 OPS in 14 games with Everett this season. He's hit six doubles and a homer with seven RBIs.

Beyond his performance at the plate, Stevenson has also made his stamp behind the dish.

The former North Carolina backstop spoke in his introductory Zoom interview after being drafted about wanting to be a servant leader to the pitching staff.

In 10 games at catcher this season (the other four at designated hitter), Stevenson has caught four runners stealing in 22 attempts. He's newfound familiarity with the pitching staff has also yielded solid results. The AquaSox are third in the six-team Northwest League in ERA (4.03) and first in bullpen ERA (2.80).

"This whole entire staff I know," Stevenson said. "I know who they are, where they're from. I know a lot about them — not just their arsenal. And it makes calling games a lot easier. It makes the clubhouse a really good environment. We have Zoom calls that we talk about how we do things around here. ... Sometimes when you're fresh off the draft, you don't know what you don't know. Being in the (organization) a little bit longer, I've learned a lot from the higher-ups, from players, from teammates that have helped me have this season go as smoothly as possible."

Due to Raleigh's stature as the best catcher in baseball and his long-term deal with the M's (extended through 2030 with an option for another year in 2031), it will likely several years before Stevenson can show his collection of lessons and experiences at the major league level consistently. He's projected to make his major league debut in 2028, per MLB Pipeline.

However, Stevenson's approach to the game, both in his skillet and mentality, bears striking resemblance to Raleigh. Even if the two's demeanor is slightly different.

Stevenson has also fully adopted the Mariners way of thinking and organizational mentality. Even if takes some years to get there, that bodes well for his future with the organization.

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