Growing up in suburban Montréal, Quebec, Raphaël Pelletier followed a familiar Canadian path by playing competitive hockey from a young age. Baseball, however, was the sport that ultimately stuck, thanks in large part to the influence of his father.

Raphaël emerged as one of the top young catchers in the country during his high school years. He represented Canada at the 2018 Pan-American Championships and was regarded as one of the top players in his draft class. In 2019, the Texas Rangers selected him in the 25th round of the MLB Draft, but Raphaël chose to honour his commitment to Kansas State University.

His time at Kansas State helped establish him as a dependable catcher at the NCAA Division I level. After redshirting in 2022, Raphaël earned All-Big 12 Honourable Mention recognition in both 2023 and 2024. During the 2024 season, he helped the Wildcats advance to the NCAA Charlottesville Super Regional against the University of Virginia.

After three seasons at Kansas State, Raphaël transferred to the University of Kentucky and made the move to the Southeastern Conference for the final stage of his collegiate career. The experience gave him the opportunity to compete in two of college baseball’s strongest conferences before turning his attention to professional baseball.

Following his time at Kentucky, Raphaël continued playing in Canada with the London Majors of the Intercounty Baseball League. His path from Montreal to the Big 12, the SEC, and eventually Winnipeg reflects both the depth of his experience and a baseball journey that has remained closely connected to his Canadian roots.