Cal Raleigh’s Historic Power Surge: Can He Set the Home Run Record for Catchers?

By Oliver Wiener June 29, 2025 14:12

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is having a season for the ages in 2025, putting himself on a historic trajectory that could rewrite the record books for catchers in Major League Baseball. As the current MLB home run leader with 32 homers before the All-Star break, Raleigh has already made history as the first switch-hitting catcher to reach 30 home runs prior to the midseason classic. Now, with the Home Run Derby on the horizon and a pace that threatens longstanding records, the question is whether Raleigh can become the greatest power-hitting catcher the game has ever seen.

Nicknamed "Big Dumper," the 28-year-old Raleigh has combined prodigious power with remarkable consistency. Through 79 games this season, he boasts a .275 batting average, .380 on-base percentage, and a .651 slugging percentage, along with 69 RBIs and 15 doubles. Most impressively, Raleigh has appeared in every game as Seattle’s primary catcher, a demanding position that often limits offensive production. Yet, he is on pace to smash the single-season home run record for catchers, currently held by Salvador Perez, who hit 48 homers in 2021.

Raleigh’s power surge is underscored by his advanced hitting metrics. His barrel rate has jumped to 23.5% in 2025 from 14.4% in previous seasons, while his pulled airball rate has soared to 38.2%, the highest among qualifying hitters. These changes reflect a refined approach at the plate, combining patience with aggressive power hitting. Remarkably, Raleigh has maintained strong plate discipline, reducing his chase rate by nearly five percentage points, now sitting in the 53rd percentile, a significant improvement over prior years.

A switch-hitter, Raleigh mashes from both sides of the plate with near-identical effectiveness. His expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) stands around .399 from the left side and .398 from the right, with power numbers equally balanced. This versatility makes him a matchup nightmare for opposing pitchers.

Beyond his individual stats, Raleigh’s 2025 campaign carries personal significance. He will participate in the MLB Home Run Derby on July 14 at Truist Park in Atlanta, a location close to his North Carolina roots where he spent much of his youth playing baseball. Adding to the event’s significance, his father, Todd Raleigh, will pitch to him during the derby, while his 15-year-old brother is expected to catch. If Raleigh wins, he would be the first catcher and first switch-hitter ever to claim the Home Run Derby title outright, a feat only tied previously by Ruben Sierra and Eric Davis in 1989.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson, a former catcher himself, praised Raleigh’s mental toughness and adaptability, especially as he balances the physical demands of catching with his offensive output. “It’s not for the weak,” Wilson said. “Cal’s ability to stay locked in, whether behind the plate or as a DH, is a testament to his focus.”

Raleigh’s historic pace projects him to hit around 57 home runs if sustained over a full 162-game season, which would shatter the catcher home run record and place him among the elite sluggers in baseball history. Even if his pace slows, reaching 40 home runs a rare feat for catchers achieved by only six players in MLB history seems well within reach.

Cal Raleigh is not just having a great season; he is redefining what is possible for catchers offensively. His combination of power, plate discipline, and durability makes him a generational talent and a legitimate candidate to set new home run records. As he heads into the Home Run Derby and the second half of the season, all eyes will be on “Big Dumper” as he aims to etch his name among baseball’s legends.