Cal Raleigh named AL starting catcher for All-Star Game
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 28: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners looks to the dugout during the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on June 28, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Tim Heitman / Getty Images)
SEATTLE - Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh was named as the starter for the American League for the MLB All-Star Game set for July 15th at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Raleigh, 28, becomes the first Mariners catcher to ever be named as an All-Star Game starter, and the second Seattle catcher to ever earn a selection alongside current Mariners manager Dan Wilson. He's the first starter from the Mariners at any position since Nelson Cruz was named as the designated hitter for the AL roster in 2015.
"Cal getting selected to start the All-Star Game is such a great and well-deserved honor for him," said Wilson, who was named to the All-Star team in 1996. "Cal embodies exactly what a team player is, someone who makes everyone around him better. His ability to hit home runs has been incredible, and it’s also been his ability to get on base, his amazing work behind the plate with our pitching staff, and his willingness to always go the extra mile for his teammates."
Dig deeper:
Raleigh is delivering an MVP-caliber season for the Mariners and setting records in the process. He leads all of MLB in home runs with 33 while posting a .272 batting average with 16 doubles, 53 walks, 60 runs scored and a franchise record nine stolen bases from the catcher position. His slugging percentage of .641 and on-base-plus-slugging percentage of 1.024 rank second in all of MLB.
Raleigh became the first catcher and switch-hitter to hit 30 home runs before the All-Star Break in MLB history, breaking records previously held by Johnny Bench and Mickey Mantle, respectively. He's one of five players to hit 33 home runs before the end of June, joining Ken Griffey Jr. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds.
With 126 career home runs, Raleigh holds the franchise record for most homers by a catcher and is just two away from tying Mike Piazza for the most through a catcher's first five seasons. He is also closing in on Griffey's record of 35 home runs by a Mariners player before the All-Star Break, and one home run away from matching a career-high 34 home runs, which was set last season.
Raleigh beat out Alejandro Kirk of the Toronto Blue Jays in fan voting to earn the starting nod, earning 72 percent of final voting.
Raleigh is having this success while also playing the demanding catcher position nearly every game in the field. He's appeared in 84 of Seattle's 85 games this season and is out of the starting lineup for just the third time all year on Wednesday night against the Kansas City Royals. Of those 84 games, 65 have come behind the plate.
Raleigh's 33 home runs place him ahead of notable sluggers Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, both tied at 30 homers. His 5.6 wins above replacement (per Fangraphs' fWAR) are on pace to be the highest ever recorded by a catcher, trailing only Judge's 6.5 fWAR this season.
Raleigh will participate in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday, July 14, with his father, Todd Raleigh, serving as his pitcher.
The full rosters for the All-Star game will be officially announced on Sunday.
The Source: Information in this story came from Major League Baseball, the Seattle Mariners and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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