Who Is Cal Raleigh? Mariners Catcher’s Power Surge Has MLB Fans Clicking

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh added another chapter to his breakout 2025 season on Friday night in Queens, launching his MLB-leading 46th home run and plating three runs in an 11-9 slugfest over the New York Mets. The two-run blast—an opposite-field rocket off left-hander Sean Manaea in the third inning—pushed Raleigh past Shohei Ohtani for the overall homer lead and made him the first catcher in 25 years with back-to-back 100-RBI campaigns, a feat last accomplished by Mike Piazza in 2000-01. Big-time production behind the plate • 46 HR, 103 RBI, 1.001 OPS through 119 games • On pace for 62 homers, which would shatter the single-season record for a primary catcher (Johnny Bench, 45 in 1970) • Leads the American League in slugging (.636) and WAR (7.2) Raleigh’s surge has vaulted him to the front of the AL MVP conversation, a remarkable leap for a player who opened 2023 in Triple-A and finished that season hitting .211. Manager Scott Servais credits Raleigh’s commitment to plate discipline—his chase rate has dropped nearly seven points—and a streamlined leg kick that keeps his 6-foot-3 frame balanced through contact. “You can’t sneak a fastball by him anymore,” Servais said post-game. “If it’s middle-in, he’s parking it in the seats. If it’s away, he’ll pepper the gap. That’s MVP-level impact.” Catching every fifth day for a rotation led by George Kirby and Luis Castillo, Raleigh has also thrown out 36 percent of would-be base stealers, second-best in the majors, reinforcing his value on both sides of the ball. Franchise marks in sight Raleigh already owns Seattle’s single-season home-run record for a catcher (surpassing Dan Wilson’s 19) and needs four more to eclipse Ken Griffey Jr.’s club record of 56. More tantalizing: 17 homers in the final 43 contests would tie Barry Bonds’ overall single-season mark of 73, a pace once unthinkable for a backstop. Schedule favors a power binge The Mariners embark on a nine-game homestand against the Rockies, A’s and White Sox—three pitching staffs ranked in the bottom eight in HR/9. T-Mobile Park has played hitter-friendly this summer, with the retractable roof closed for only six dates since May. Impact on Seattle’s postseason push Friday’s comeback win kept Seattle atop the AL West by 1.5 games over Houston. The club’s bullpen has been wobbly of late, but Raleigh’s thunder is masking those cracks: the Mariners are 28-5 when he homers and 41-11 when he drives in at least two. Fantasy and betting angles • Raleigh’s odds to win AL MVP shortened from +750 to +250 overnight at most sportsbooks. • In fantasy leagues, he trails only Ohtani among hitters on ESPN’s Player Rater and is rostered in 99.5 percent of formats. • Prop bettors should monitor his total-bases line (regularly 1.5); he has cleared that number in seven of his last nine games. Looking ahead With Labor Day looming and the MVP chatter intensifying, Raleigh maintains his trademark low-key demeanor. “I’m just trying to square up baseballs and help us win,” he said, shrugging off comparisons to Bench and Piazza. If he keeps mashing at this clip, the conversation will stretch far beyond Seattle—and the record books may need an update by October.