Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh hits a home run against the Minnesota Twins on June 23 at Target Field. Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Seattle Mariners Catcher Cal Raleigh Makes Major Announcement About Home Run Derby

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Teren Kowatsch | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 1:30 PM ET

The best hitter on the Seattle Mariners roster will take part in the 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby.

Catcher Cal Raleigh will compete in the annual event, as it was announced Friday. According to a news release from Mariners PR, Raleigh's father and former college baseball coach, Todd Raleigh, will be pitching to him. Cal Raleigh's younger brother, Todd Raleigh Jr., will be catching for him.

“I’m excited to represent the Mariners and our fanbase at the [Home Run] Derby,” Cal Raleigh said in the news release. “It will be extra special for me getting to do it in Atlanta, where I spent a lot of time playing baseball as a kid.”

Raleigh will be the eighth Seattle player to ever compete in the Home Run Derby. Ken Griffey Jr. competed eight times, Bret Boone took part twice, Julio Rodriguez competed twice and Alex Rodriguez, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez and Robinson Cano all participated once. Griffey Jr. won the event an MLB-record three times in 1994, '98 and '99. Julio Rodriguez has the record for most home runs in a single round (41 in 2023).

In 1993, Ken Griffey Jr. hit a Home Run Derby ball off the warehouse at Camden Yards, becoming the first and only player to do so.

Why has no one done it since? I spoke with 3 physicists, @mike_petriello, @sigmejdal and #Orioles OF Heston Kjerstad to try to get an answer pic.twitter.com/s1Xj4t2VpI
— Paul Mancano (@PaulMancano) March 31, 2025

If Raleigh wins the Derby, he would become the first catcher to do so since the event was introduced in 1985.

Raleigh has a major league-leading 32 runs home runs in 79 games this season. He's scored 58 runs and has a major league-leading 69 RBI. He's slashed .275/.380/.651 with a 1.031 OPS as of Friday. He's the first catcher and switch-hitter in MLB history to have 30 or more home runs before the All-Star Break.

Cal Raleigh:
- HR in 4 straight games for the first time in his career
- 6 HRs in his last 6 games
- 5 HRs in 4 games against the Twins this season pic.twitter.com/XF9a9ECIcN
— MLB (@MLB) June 24, 2025