Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh made baseball history on Wednesday night, becoming just the fourth American League player ever to reach the coveted 60 home run milestone in a single season. Raleigh launched his 59th and 60th homers during the Mariners’ 9-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies at T-Mobile Park, cementing his place among baseball’s most elite power hitters.
Historic Achievement Puts Raleigh in Exclusive Company
With his 60th blast in the eighth inning, Raleigh joined an incredibly exclusive club that includes only Babe Ruth (60 in 1927), Roger Maris (61 in 1961), and Aaron Judge (62 in 2022) as the only American League players to reach this historic mark. The achievement is even more remarkable considering Raleigh had never been an All-Star before the 2025 season and was primarily known as a defensive specialist rather than a power threat.
The 28-year-old switch-hitter, affectionately nicknamed “Big Dumper” by fans, has shattered multiple records throughout his breakout campaign. He previously broke the single-season record for most home runs by a primary catcher, surpassing Salvador Perez’s mark of 48 set in 2021. Raleigh also eclipsed Mickey Mantle’s 64-year-old record of 54 home runs by a switch-hitter, which had stood since 1961.
From Unlikely Hero to MVP Candidate
Raleigh’s transformation from solid defensive catcher to legitimate MVP candidate represents one of baseball’s most compelling storylines in 2025. The Florida State product entered the season with career highs of just 30 home runs and was coming off a respectable but unremarkable 2024 campaign. His explosive power surge has coincided with the Mariners’ remarkable late-season push, as the team won 15 of 16 games heading into the final week of the regular season.
The historic 60th home run came on a 98.3 mph four-seam fastball from Colorado reliever Chivilli, which Raleigh crushed 388 feet to right field with an exit velocity of 108.7 mph. Earlier in the game, his 59th homer traveled an impressive 438 feet into the upper deck at T-Mobile Park, reaching territory that only seven other players had previously accessed in the ballpark’s 26-year history.
Raleigh’s phenomenal season includes a .245/.359/.586 slash line with 121 RBIs and an estimated 6.9 Wins Above Replacement according to Baseball Reference. His contributions extend beyond offense, as he remains an above-average framer behind the plate, making him arguably the most complete catcher in baseball. The performance has positioned him as a serious contender for the American League Most Valuable Player Award, competing directly with Yankees star Aaron Judge, who recently reached 51 home runs himself.
The achievement caps off what has been called one of the most improbable power surges in recent memory, as Raleigh joins Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa as the only players to reach 60 home runs since Ruth first accomplished the feat nearly a century ago. With several games remaining in the regular season, Raleigh still has opportunities to chase Judge’s American League record of 62, set just three years ago.