Cal Raleigh, the Seattle Mariners’ superstar catcher, delivered a remarkable 2025 MLB season, cementing his place among the all-time greats at his position.
He posted a .247 batting average, a .359 on-base percentage, and a .589 slugging percentage, while leading the majors with 60 home runs and topping the American League with 125 RBIs.
In the postseason, the switch-hitting Raleigh maintained his exceptional form. Across 12 playoff games, he batted .304, recorded a 1.081 OPS, smashed five home runs, and drove in eight runs.
Despite his outstanding performance, the Mariners fell short, losing to the Toronto Blue Jays in a seven-game ALCS battle.
Raleigh’s extraordinary regular season etched his name in the record books. He became only the seventh player in MLB history—and the fourth in the American League—to hit 60 home runs in a single season. At 28, he also set a new benchmark for the most home runs by a catcher in a single season.
The race for the 2025 American League MVP has centered on Raleigh and New York Yankees star Aaron Judge, sparking heated discussions throughout the season.
On Friday, the Mariners shared additional recognition for Raleigh via their X account, announcing a prestigious honor.
“What a year for Big Dumper,” the caption read. “Cal Raleigh is the @sportingnews MLB Player of the Year, as voted by his peers! #TridentsUp.”
The Sporting News has awarded its MLB Player of the Year title annually since 1936, recognizing the season’s top performer. With this accolade, Raleigh joins Mariners legends Alex Rodriguez (1996) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1997) as the third player in franchise history to claim the honor.
Though Raleigh’s historic 2025 campaign has concluded, his remarkable achievements are likely to earn him further recognition throughout the offseason.
