Mariners' Star Cal Raleigh Earns Championship Belt from Former Undisputed WWE Champion After Derby Victory
Cal Raleigh was on fire Tuesday in the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby at Truist Park in Atlanta, becoming the first catcher in history ever, and then the first switch-hitter to take the top prize.
Famed for his monster power and regular contribution of big flies, Raleigh not only won the honour but a one-of-a-kind prize, a custom WWE Championship belt awarded by the former Undisputed WWE Champion himself, Cody Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes surprises the crowd with a WWE moment
Things got electric when "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes showed up after Raleigh's win. And in his iconic WWE gear, Rhodes walked out onto the field to give Raleigh a custom WWE Championship belt designed with MLB and Home Run Derby logos.
It was an electrifying moment that combined the worlds of baseball and pro wrestling, getting the fans in the stadium and at home buzzing. The crossover celebration emphasized MLB's plans to combine sports and entertainment over All-Star Weekend.
Raleigh, clearly choked up and thrilled, raised the belt high above his head as the cheers rang out around the ballpark. As if the night weren't already legendary, the novelty of the presentation (easily a highlight of the All-Star festivities instantly) also made the night memorable.
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Cal Raleigh's historic path to the championship
Cal Raleigh saw the Derby run play out with drama, power, and precision. With 38 home runs, the Mariners slugger entered the event with the most homers in MLB at the All-Star break and proved the reason why he is among the most feared hitters in the game today.
Raleigh narrowly edged past Brent Rooker in round one, deadlocked in the home run tiebreaker. The longest homer of the round got Raleigh ahead, but it was narrowly, just 0.08 feet farther than Rooker's best shot.
He eased through the semifinals, taking out Oneil Cruz with 19 homers, then finished off the night with 18 homers in the finals to outslug 22-year-old Tampa Bay upstart Junior Caminero, who ended with 15.
By hitting an impressive total of 54 home runs in all rounds combined, Raleigh not only took home the $1 million prize but also secured a spot in Derby history. The real family atmosphere continued, with Raleigh's father pitching to him and his brother caging in the earlier rounds — a heart-warming backdrop to all the power of the night.
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The reward cemented Raleigh as the second Mariners player to ever take home the Derby, joining Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. With a WWE title belt now in tow, Cal Raleigh's 2025 Derby victory will now be remembered as much for the performance as it will for the pure, unadulterated entertainment value.
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