THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Wearing my GM hat, I would take Raleigh over ... almost everybody

Are you ready for a debate? 

Good, because I’m going to toss out an opinion that isn’t likely to be accepted universally. 

Let’s start this discussion with a question. 

If you were a baseball general manager and the sport held an open draft (in other words, you could choose any player you wanted), who would you pick? 

Oh, and money is equal here, you’re just selecting the most valuable player for your franchise.

OK, I think we can agree that No. 1 would be Shohei Ohtani, especially once he’s back pitching again. 

If a GM wants someone besides Ohtani, he probably shouldn’t have his current position. 

What about after that, though? 

You’re likely to say Aaron Judge, right? 

Helluva hitter, big power, decent outfielder. 

Fair enough, but I think a savvy general manager would skip Judge and take Cal Raleigh at No. 2. 

Say what? 

Yep. 

A switch-hitting catcher who will deliver 40-plus home runs (he’s got 23 already this year), hit somewhere north of .250, and get you the winning knocks in the clutch (.345 in late-inning pressure situations). 

CAL IS already a platinum glove winner as the best defender in the AL at any position, and he ranks second in all of MLB as a pitch framer (to the Giants’ Patrick Bailey, per a majority of sources). 

Before we get too far into an argument about Raleigh and Judge, however, is there anyone else who belongs in this class? 

Now, this is a personal preference, but I think most GMs would agree with me on one point: We wouldn’t take a pitcher. 

Starters can only impact your record every five days, and relievers who stay healthy and consistent, season after season, have become rare birds since Mariano Rivera retired his cutter. 

So, I’m leaving pitchers out of the discussion (except Ohtani, where it’s just a magnificent bonus). 

Maybe we’ll have a pitching draft sometime around the trading deadline. 

For what it’s worth, I’d lean toward a closer like Andres Munoz or Houston’s Josh Hader. 

Munoz has had two straight rocky outings, but prior to that, the Mariners were 25-0 when leading after eight innings. 

That number is now 26-1, but Andres will recover his slider shortly. 

Bet on it. 

Anyway, back to our position players. 

You may have a particular favorite that you think would be perfect for starting a franchise roster. 

Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr., perhaps. 

Witt checks several of the boxes that I care about, and that general managers are looking to fill. 

He’s young, he hits for power and average, he can steal 40-50 bases and he plays shortstop — which I think is the second-most critical spot on the diamond. 

Behind catcher, obviously. 

Are there some outfielders other than Judge who merit consideration, at the very least? 

Sure. 

The most exciting, I’d say, is Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs — who is already a flat-out star at 23. 

There’s Kyle Tucker. Mookie Betts (32 with a fractured toe). Big James Wood, future hero in Washington. 

Shortstops besides Witt Jr.? 

Jeremy Pena ranks high on the various WAR lists, and so does my favorite, young Jacob Wilson of the Athletics. 

I CAN’T imagine the Mariners trading Raleigh for anyone on that list, though. 

GMs dream of catchers who can become pillars of the organization. 

Ironically, Seattle’s minor leaguer who is closest to reaching The Show is ALSO a catcher, Harry Ford. 

In any scenario that doesn’t involve a trade, Harry will need to learn a new position (like first base). 

“I still think of myself as a catcher,” Ford said this week, “but I’ll move if that’s what it takes.” 

It will, Harry. 

Raleigh is the complete package at age 28 (Judge is 33, by the way). 

Cal seems to be inheriting the franchise rock role held by the Royals’ Salvador Perez and the now-retired Yadier Molina in St. Louis. 

His offensive numbers will ultimately dwarf both of those catchers, but one similarity is a compliment: Raleigh is also a clubhouse leader who (despite the publicity surrounding Julio Rodriguez) is the face of the Mariners. 

Would his OWN front office choose someone else to be the Mariners' star for the next few years? 

I cannot picture it. 

Judge is a terrific player, but he’s not a catcher. 

And that’s a massive tiebreaker. 

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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week, normally Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday unless, you know, stuff happens. 

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”