Cal Raleigh’s performance in 2025 was so historic, he might not even come close to replicate it.
The Big Dumper had one (if not the) best campaign ever by a catcher. Let’s just breakdown the numbers: .247/.359/.589 for an OPS of .948 sprinkled with a renowned 60 HR. There is no denying it, Cal Raleigh’s 2025 season is one engrained in the lore of baseball. However, let’s keep projections realistic moving forward.
We are assessing a switch-hitting catcher that had never produced at this level. Before 2025, he had never eclipsed the 5.0 WAR benchmark (7.4 in 2025) or even sniffed the 40 HR tally. Last year’s breakout could be the result of pitchers being forced to attack him instead of pitching around him. The additions of Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor paired with the surge of Jorge Polanco made Seattle’s lineup longer creating more opportunities for Raleigh to get favorable pitches.
Now that Suarez and Polanco are both gone, Seattle is once again lacking in the power department. The incorporation of Brendan Donovan is not ideal if the Mariners want to reproduce the same level of production from their backstop.
Don’t get me wrong, Raleigh is one of the best catcher’s in the league. Just expect a significant dip in his overall production.
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