Mariners’ Cal Raleigh Joins the Home Run Derby
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 32, confirmed his participation in next month’s Home Run Derby.
The Derby will be held on July 14, the night before the All-Star Game, at Truist Park in Atlanta.
This will be the first time the 28-year-old player, known as “Big Dumper”, participates in the event.
In the current season, Raleigh became the first catcher and first switch-hitter to reach 30 home runs before the All-Star break.
I am excited to represent the Mariners and our fans. It will be very special for me to do it in Atlanta, where I spent a lot of time playing baseball as a child.
Since the Home Run Derby began in 1985, no catcher has managed to win the contest.
Raleigh is one of the finalists for the starting catcher position in the American League for the All-Star Game, competing with Alejandro Kirk of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Raleigh will become the eighth Seattle player to compete in the Derby, joining Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez, along with Jay Buhner, Alex Rodriguez, Bret Boone, Robinson Cano and his current teammate Julio Rodriguez. Griffey won the event in 1994, 1998 and 1999. In 1993, he became the only player to hit the B&O Warehouse at Camden Yards directly.
Until Friday, Raleigh had a batting average of .275 with 69 RBIs, 15 doubles, and 47 walks in 79 games.
