Is Cal Raleigh Transforming Into One Of The Best Player In Baseball?
The 2025 Home Run Derby was likely the first time America got to truly appreciate the offensive abilities of Cal Raleigh.
The Derby champion is a part of the Midsummer Classic festivities for the first time in his career this week. And with just five games of playoff experience in his career, the National audience has not had ample opportunities to see the fifth-year catcher.
But with the second half of the MLB season kicking off this weekend, Raleigh should be on every fan's radar as he looks to complete one of the best seasons seen from the catching position.
And, if he continues to play at his current pace, he could not only push Aaron Judge for the AL MVP award, but he could argue for one of the best seasons in baseball history.
Raleigh, a former third-round pick in 2018, has been an above-average hitter since his first year playing over 100 games.
After producing a 122 OPS+ in 2022, Raleigh managed to hit 30 or more home runs in each of the next two seasons, while keeping his OPS+ an average of 17 points above the average player.
After just 94 games, however, with 72 of which behind the dish, Raleigh has already surpassed most of his full-year statistics from the previous three seasons.
Raleigh enters the All-Star break with a .259/.376/.634 slash line, giving him a 1.011 OPS. This is 90 points above the league average, according to OPS+.
He leads the league in home runs with 38, and RBIs with 82. Those 38 home runs before the break were one shy of Barry Bond's record of 39 home runs before the All-Star Game.
At his blistering pace, Raleigh sits just 10 home runs behind the record mark by a catcher, set by Salvador Perez in 2021.
Offensively, Raleigh has the next-best statistics to compete with Judge for the best player in the American League.
All while playing the most physically demanding position on the field, which Raleigh does at an above-average level.
In his 72 games behind the dish, Raleigh has a caught-stealing percentage of 24.6%, which is over 2 percentage points above the league average. Raleigh also has a framing rate that is in the 85th percentile for all catchers and has just two errors in the year.
So, even with the sizable gap between Judge and Raleigh's offensive stats, the real evaluation of their value comes from the positional comparisons.
The Yankee captain has a sizable lead over everyone in Major League Baseball this year, but especially those who play primarily in the outfield.
DETROIT, MI - JULY 11: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners hits a solo home run in the eighth ... More inning during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Friday, July 11, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Monica Bradburn/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Behind Judge's 7.1 bWAR in 96 games is the bWAR leader in the National League Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has a 5.2 mark.
After the two divisional leaders in their respective positions, there are nine other players with a bWAR over 3.0 for the season.
If you look at the catching position, however, the total offensive production does not stack up to the same degree.
Behind Raleigh's 4.8 bWAR is Dodger catcher Will Smith, who is currently leading the National League in batting average and on-base percentage.
For the catching position, Smith is an outlier similar to Raleigh, as the next-best catcher this year has been Carlos Narvaez who just cracked the 3.0 bWAR.
The physical and mental toll of the position typically allows for less offensive expectations from the position. Especially when compared to a corner outfielder, who is now expected to be one of the best offensive weapons in a team's lineup.
If Judge were to continue at his current pace, he is all but destined to receive his third MVP in the past four seasons.
And, with Ohtani returning to the mound for the first time since playing in the American League himself, the two-way phenom still holds his ranking in baseball above the up-and-coming catcher.
However, Raleigh is closer to taking the MVP trophy and unofficial crown away from Judge than most may realize.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 02: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners is greeted at the dugout after a ... More grand slam home run against the Texas Rangers in the fifth inning at Globe Life Field on May 02, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by)
Wherever their two statistical seasons may compare after the regular season, the Mariner's front office will just be grateful that their contracts are not comparable for the next seven seasons.
Ahead of Raleigh's breakout season, the catcher signed an arbitration extension for six years at $105 million. Due to this, Seattle will only pay Raleigh $2.7 million this year, with his highest average annual value coming in 2028 at $24.7 million.
So, as the Mariners strive for a postseason berth, Raleigh's team-friendly contract could leave the team in a position to take in higher contract assets. Or, the Mariners could be seen as a threat to sign marquee free agents at the end of the season, in hopes of surrounding Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, and their talented rotation with more options to reach the postseason in 2026.
Either way, the Mariners have a luxury at the catching position with Cal Raleigh. Whether they reach October or not this season, the Seattle backstop will be a must-watch for the rest of the season.
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