| Cal Raleigh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Seattle Mariners – No. 29 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: (1996-11-26)November 26, 1996 (age 28) Cullowhee, North Carolina, U.S. | |
Bats: Switch Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 11, 2021, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Batting average | .218 |
| Home runs | 93 |
| Runs batted in | 251 |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Caleb John Raleigh (born November 26, 1996), nicknamed "Big Dumper",[1][2] is an American professionalbaseballcatcher for theSeattle Mariners ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021. In 2024, Raleigh won theAmerican LeaguePlatinum Glove award, given to the best defensive player in the league.
Raleigh attendedSmoky Mountain High School inSylva, North Carolina. In his senior season, he hit .469 with 10 home runs and 20 stolen bases and was named an All-American byLouisville Slugger, MaxPreps, and Under Armour.[3][4] He was named a conference player of the year in baseball and basketball. After originally committing to play forClemson, Raleigh attendedFlorida State University (FSU), playingcollege baseball for theFSU Seminoles.[4][5][6] In 2016, he started all but one game and hit .301 with a .412 on-base percentage and was named a freshman All-American byBaseball America, theNational Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, Louisville Slugger, and Perfect Game. That summer, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theHarwich Mariners of theCape Cod Baseball League, struggling to a .204 batting average. He had several dramatic hits in 2017, including driving in the winning run in theAtlantic Coast Conference championship game, driving in the tying run in theSuper Regional final againstSam Houston State, and hitting a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning ofa College World Series game againstthe LSU Tigers.[3] In 2018, his final year at FSU, heslashed .326/.447/.583 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs in 62 games.[7]
Raleigh was drafted by theSeattle Mariners in the third round, with the 90th overall pick, of the2018 Major League Baseball draft.[8] He signed with the Mariners, receiving a $854,000 signing bonus.[9] Raleigh made his professional debut that summer with the Low-AEverett AquaSox, batting .288 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 38 games. He started 2019 with the High-AModesto Nuts, where he was named aCalifornia League All-Star[10] before being promoted to theDouble-AArkansas Travelers in mid-July.[11] In 121 games for the two clubs, Raleigh slashed .251/.323/.497 with 29 home runs and 82 RBIs.[12]
Raleigh practiced and scrimmaged at the Mariners' alternate site in Tacoma in 2020[13] but did not play in a game because the minor league baseball season was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[14] Raleigh returned to Tacoma to start 2021 with theTriple-ATacoma Rainiers, hitting .324/.377/.608 with nine home runs in 44 games.[15]
On July 11, 2021, Raleigh was selected to the40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[16] He made his MLB debut that day, starting at catcher against theLos Angeles Angels, striking out twice in four hitless at bats.[17] Raleigh recorded his first career hits and RBIs with a two-RBI double and single againstGermán Márquez of theColorado Rockies on July 20.[18][19] On July 23, Raleigh hit his first MLB home run, a two-run, 444-foot blast offOakland Athletics starterFrankie Montas.[20] Splitting time at catcher withTom Murphy, Raleigh finished the 2021 season with a .180/.223/.309 slash line, 2 home runs, 13 RBIs, and 52 strikeouts in 47 games.[21]
Raleigh started 2022 continuing to struggle to make contact, with an .083 batting average and striking out in 32 percent of his plate appearances in his first nine games.[22] He wasoptioned down to Tacoma on April 28,[23] returning to the Mariners on May 7 after Murphy suffered adislocated shoulder.[24] After another 10 games with a .091 average, Raleigh's bat blossomed, hitting .228 with an .854on-base plus slugging and 24 home runs the rest of the season.[22][24][25] On September 30, Raleigh hit a pinch-hit, walk-off home run against the Athletics[26] to clinch the Mariners' first postseason appearance since2001,[2] ending the longest active playoff drought amongst the four major North American sports leagues.[27] He would also have big hits in the postseason. In theWild Card Series against theToronto Blue Jays, Raleigh hit a two-run home run off ofAlek Manoah,[28] an RBI single off ofAnthony Bass,[29] and scored the winning run in Game Two. His offense disappeared in theDivision Series, as he went 1-for-14 in three consecutive losses to theHouston Astros.[30] Raleigh finished the 2022 regular season with a .211/.284/.489 slash line, 20 doubles, one triple, and 63 RBI in 119 games.[31] His 27 home runs led all MLB catchers and surpassedMike Zunino for the most home runs by a Mariners catcher in a season.[32][33] He was a finalist at catcher for theGold Glove andSilver Slugger awards, losing toJose Trevino of theNew York Yankees andAlejandro Kirk of theToronto Blue Jays, respectively.[34][35][36][37]
On May 15, 2023, Raleigh became the first catcher to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game atFenway Park, hitting his home runs in consecutive plate appearances.[38][39] In 145 games for Seattle in 2023, he batted .232/.306/.456 with 30 home runs and 75 RBI. When the Mariners were eliminated from postseason contention, Raleigh criticized the Mariners' lack of spending, saying "sometimes, you have to go out and you have to buy. That's just the name of the game."[40] He was a Silver Slugger finalist again in 2023.[41]
Raleigh broke a tooth after biting down on a sandwich on April 23, 2024. Despite severe pain, he hit a home run in that night's game against theTexas Rangers. He had oral surgery the following day, missing just one game before his return to catching.[42][43] On June 10, Raleigh hit a walk-off grand slam offJordan Leasure, capping off a 8–4 comeback win over theChicago White Sox.[44][45] Raleigh homered from both sides of the plate twice in July, on July 9 against theSan Diego Padres, then two days later against the Angels.[46] In the Mariners' final game of 2024, Raleigh hit his 34th home run of the season[47] to reach 100 RBIs in a season for the first time in his career.[31] It was his 93rd career home run, toppingMike Piazza for the most home runs in a catcher's first four MLB seasons.[48] However, Raleigh hit 15 of his home runs as designated hitter or pinch hitter,[49] while Piazza hit only one home run while not playing catcher in his first four seasons.[50]
Raleigh hit .220/.312/.436 with a career high six stolen bases and 176 strikeouts in 2024.[31] He won the Gold Glove andPlatinum Glove awards in 2024, becoming the first Mariner in franchise history to receive the latter honor.[51][52] He excelled at framing pitches.[53] He was a Silver Slugger finalist for the third consecutive year.[54]
Raleigh's parents are Stephanie andTodd Raleigh, and he has three siblings, Emma Grace, Carley, and Todd Jr. Many of his relatives also play baseball. His father coached college baseball for theWestern Carolina Catamounts andTennessee Volunteers[3] and was a catcher for Western Carolina from 1988 to 1991.[55] Raleigh's younger brother Todd Jr., nicknamed "T," is, like Cal, a switch-hitting catcher.[56] Raleigh's uncle Matt played inMinor League Baseball from 1992 to 2000 after playing alongside Todd at Western Carolina.[57] Raleigh's cousin and Matt's son, Brody, is an outfielder at Western Carolina.[58] Raleigh said his great grandmother, Doris, sends him encouraging text messages.[59]
As a child, Raleigh rooted forJason Varitek and the Boston Red Sox.[38][60]
Raleigh's Big Dumper nickname, referring to his backside, was popularized by teammateJarred Kelenic, who started using it in 2020[1] and tweeted it in 2021 when Raleigh was promoted to the Mariners.[61]
Raleigh completed his degree in business entrepreneurship from FSU in December 2020.[62]
On June 13, 2024, Raleigh had his head shaved by former MarinerJay Buhner as part of theteam's "Buhner Buzz Cut" promotion.[63]