Cal Raleigh Ties Historic Home Run Record for Catchers
The Mariners’ star hitter, Cal Raleigh, hit his 48th home run on Sunday against the Athletics, tying the record for most home runs in a season for a catcher, set by Salvador Pérez in 2021. Raleigh, batting from the right side, sent the ball out of the park against left-handed pitcher Jacob Lopez in the first inning, putting the score at 2-0. Of Raleigh’s 48 home runs this season, 39 have been as a catcher. The rest, playing as a designated hitter. In 2021, Pérez hit 15 home runs as a designated hitter and 33 as a catcher.Only four other players in Major League history have hit at least 40 home runs in a season while primarily playing catcher: Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley, and Mike Piazza (twice). Bench, Campanella, and Piazza are Hall of Famers.
Raleigh hit 27 home runs in 2022, then 30 in 2023, and 34 last season. At 28 years old, and for the first time All-Star, Raleigh won the Home Run Derby in July. He became the first switch-hitter and the first catcher to win the title. He is the second Mariners player to take the crown, after Ken Griffey Jr., who won it three times. Raleigh’s home run gave him 104 RBIs on the season. He is the first catcher with consecutive 100-RBI seasons since Piazza (1996-2000), and the first American League catcher to achieve the feat since Thurman Munson (1975-77).
