(January 22, 2024, York, Pa.) — York Revolution starter and Atlantic League Co-Pitcher of the Year Nick Raquet has signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, it was announced today.
Raquet became the first Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year selection in York Revolution history this past season, sharing the honor with Gastonia’s Zach Mort. The lefty finished third in the league in strikeouts (133), racking up the third highest single-season total in team history. He posted four 10-strikeout performances, becoming just the second pitcher in Revs history to achieve that feat.
Raquet’s 13 wins were tied for second most in the league (one off the top spot) and tied for fourth most in a season in Revs history. He tallied the most by a Revs pitcher since 2017. Raquet finished the season with a 3.71 ERA (fourth in league) and ranked third on the circuit with 145.2 innings. He was the only pitcher to rank in the top four of the league’s four major categories (ERA, wins, strikeouts, innings) and was previously named the Revs’ team Pitcher of the Year at the conclusion of the 2023 season.
“He had a remarkable season,” said Revs manager Rick Forney. “I didn’t expect that he’d throw the number of innings he did or be as dominant as he was throughout the season because he had been away from it for a while. I had been texting people with Major League clubs, saying if there’s an opening or a need at the Double-A or Triple-A level, bring him to spring training and let him compete for a job, because he’ll make one of those teams. He’s still young enough, he has arm speed, he was the best pitcher in MLB Partner League baseball, the best pitcher in this league for sure, by far the best left-handed pitcher in Partner League ball, and I said there’s no reason why somebody doesn’t sign him and give him a chance to compete in spring training, because he’ll beat somebody out of a job. I’m thrilled to see that he’ll now get that opportunity.”
The 28-year-old returned to professional baseball for the first time since 2019 after spending the past several years working in the business world. Raquet was a third-round draft pick of the Washington Nationals out of College of William and Mary (VA) in 2017 and spent three seasons in the Nationals farm system, where he combined to go 23-20 with a 3.64 ERA.