Final Grades: Cal Raleigh Has Become the Heart of the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners missed the playoffs by 1.0 game for the second consecutive season in 2024. At 85-77, it was a disappointing year for the M's, who held a 10.0 game lead in the American League West back on June 18.
However, despite the missed opportunities, the M's did have some truly great stories this season, including the performance of Cal Raleigh. The catcher, nicknamed "Big Dumper" re-wrote the M's record books in 2024, hitting 34 homers and bringing in 100 runs. He now has the most home runs (93) of any catcher in big league history through his first four seasons.
Cal Raleigh by the numbers
Games played: 153
Hitting stats: .220 BA, 34 HRs, 100 RBIs, 73 Runs, 16 Doubles, 70 BB, 176 SOs, .312 OBP, .436 SLG, .748 OPS,
Defensive stats: 1,195 TC, six errors, .995 Fielding
What I liked
Um.... everything? Raleigh not only hit 34 homers and drove in 100, he also stewarded the best pitching staff in baseball. The M's led the league in quality starts and several other pitching categories, with Raleigh helping guide the staff along. He played in a whopping 154 games, serving as the most reliable backstop in the game. He produced several big moments throughout the season that helped lead to Mariners victories, showing his ability to perform in the clutch.
Best Moments
Back in May, Raleigh hit a game-tying grand slam against the Minnesota Twins. The M's only won one game in this series - this one. For bonus points, he hit the home run from the right side of the plate.
Cal Raleigh GRAND SLAM off the third deck for the lead 🤯
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) May 8, 2024
(via @Mariners)pic.twitter.com/eMfnFFfEln
Raleigh also hit a walk-off grand slam against the White Sox back in June.
"THERE IT IS RIGHT THERE. HE CRUSHES IT. AND THE MARINERS ARE GOING HOME A WINNER. A THREE-RUN JACK BY BIG DUMPER, CAL RALEIGH. IT'S A 7-4 MARINERS VICTORY."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 11, 2024
Dave Sims on the call for Cal Raleigh's walkoff grand slam to give the Mariners an 8-4 win. pic.twitter.com/ec1VeQespZ
On the final day of the season, Raleigh hit his 34th home run of the season, which also produced his 100th RBI.
Cal Raleigh hits his 93rd career home run, most all-time among catchers through their first four seasons! pic.twitter.com/iSC0lfDbSE
— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2024
Future prospects
Raleigh is under contract through the 2027 season, but will see a significant raise this year through arbitration. The M's would undoubtedly like to sign him long-term, but being a Scott Boras client, that price tag is only going to go up. For an organization that seems averse to spending big money, that could be tough to navigate.
Final grade: A
Sure, you'd like him to hit for a better average than .220, but you can't complain about the impact in the power department, the clutch department, or in the leadership department. While Julio Rodriguez might be the most talented player on this roster, Cal Raleigh is the leader.
Follow Inside the Mariners on social media
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on "X" @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the "Refuse to Lose" podcast by clicking HERE:
