Player Profile: Cal Raleigh

Cal Raleigh Professional Tenure

2018

After being drafted by the Mariners, Raleigh made his professional debut and finished the season with the Low-A Everett AquaSox. He would bat .288 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 38 games.

2019

Raleigh started the season with the High-A Modesto Nuts, before earning a midseason promotion to join the Double-A Arkansas Travelers. Between the two levels, he would hit .251/.324/.497 with 29 home runs, 25 doubles, and 82 runs batted in.

2020

Due to the Minor League Baseball Season getting canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic, Raleigh did not play a game. The Mariners did store him at their alternate site in Tacoma, where he practiced and scrimmaged, though.

2021

Raleigh returned to Tacoma to start the season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. He would only play 44 games with the Rainiers before getting the call to the show. With the Rainiers, Raleigh hit .324 with 21 doubles, one triple, and nine home runs. He was added to the 40-man roster and promoted to the Majors on July 11, 2021. Making his debut that day as the starting catcher against the Los Angeles Angels. He struck out twice in four hitless at-bats. It wasn’t until July 20, that he recorded his first hit and RBI with a two-run double off German Marquez. Three days later, he would record his first Major League home run off Athletics starter Frankie Montas, a two-run 444-foot blast. Once he reached the big leagues with the Seattle Mariners, Cal Raleigh struggled through his first season, hitting just .180 with 12 doubles and two home runs. He also struck out 52 times, compared to just 7 walks.

2022

Raleigh struggled to make contact at the beginning of the season, hitting just .083 and striking out at a 32% clip through his first nine games. The Mariners optioned him to Tacoma on April 28th, and he returned to the Mariners on May 7 after Tom Murphy dislocated his shoulder. He continued to struggle through the next 10 games, before his bat blossomed. He’d go on to slash .211/.284/.489 with 20 doubles, one triple and 27 home runs in his first full big-league season. On September 30, Raleigh hit a pinch-hit, walk-off home run against the Athletics to clinch the Mariners’ first postseason appearance since 2001. A moment that forever etched his name into the Mariners’ history books. He had some big at-bats during the post-season as well before his offense disappeared in the ALDS. The 27 home runs led all MLB catchers and he surpassed Mike Zunino for most home runs by a Mariners catcher in a single season. He was named a finalist for both Gold Glove and Silver Slugger as a catcher.

2023

Raleigh only got better after that breakout 2022 season. On May 15, he became the first catcher to hit a home run from both sides of the plate at Fenway Park. He would finish the 2023 season 18th in MVP voting after slashing .232/.306/.456. Raleigh also recorded 23 doubles, one triple, 30 home runs, and 75 RBIs. He was a silver slugger finalist once again.

2024

He continued to improve throughout the 2024 season, becoming the Mariners’ most consistent hitter. Although his average dipped a little bit, Raleigh finished the 2024 campaign 12th in MVP voting while slashing .220/.312/.436 while launching 34 home runs and crossing the 100 RBI plateau for the first time in his career. He was named a silver slugger finalist once again, but this time he won the Gold Glove and the Platinum Glove awards. With the 93rd home run of his career, Raleigh topped Mike Piazza for the most home runs by a catcher through their first four seasons.

2025

On March 25, Cal Raleigh signed a six-year, $105 million contract extension that also includes a seventh-year $20 million vesting option.