Just How Historic Is Seattle Mariner Slugger’s Season?

Three days ago Seattle Mariner catcher Cal Raleigh wrote his name in the Major League Baseball record books.  He became the single season home run leader for his position when he hit his 48th and 49th long balls against the (soon to be Las Vegas) A's.  It took Raleigh one more day to enter even more rarified air when he smashed number 50.

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While those numbers sound huge (and they are), just HOW historic is Raleigh's season?  Where we begin is looking at the position of catcher through the years and what it's impact has traditionally been.

Catchers Are NOT Known For Their Offensive Prowess

Sure, Yogi Berra of the Yankees was the first catcher to hit 300 home runs in a career and the Reds' Johnny Bench is considered the greatest of all time because of his power in front of, and behind, the plate.  But catchers are known more for their defense and ability to call/manage a game than they are for driving in runs.

Mike Piazza's 427 career home runs (most for a catcher) and .308 batting average (highest career for a catcher) earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame as the most offensively prolific catcher in history.  Joe Mauer also finished with a career batting average above .300, but there aren't many in the long history of the game who have.

The point being that catchers that can hit, whether for average or power, get noticed.  J.T. Realmuto of the Phillies has been considered one of the best offensive catchers in today's game.  He boasts a career .272 batting average with 178 home runs.  Realmuto also has over 100 carer stolen bases, something catchers really aren't known for.  Here is an example of special...Cal Raleigh this season has almost 1/3rd of Realmuto's career home runs.

Raleigh has already set a MLB record, but he hasn't set the Seattle mariner home run record, though it is clearly in his sights.  The legend, Ken Griffey Jr., hit 56 in 1997 and again in 1998 for good measure.  If Raleigh carries the trident seven more times he'll surpass another Hall of Famer in his remarkable season.

Here Is What's Even More Remarkable

Raleigh has been able to hit for power since his first full season in 2022 when he hit 27 home runs.  He followed that up with 30 dingers in 2023 and 34 last season.  As of today, Raleigh is on pace to more than double last year's total and tie Roger Maris for the second most home runs in American league history with 61.

To hit 34 home runs and possibly more than double that the next year is incredibly rare.  the last player to hit at least 25 home runs and then more than double that the following season was Giancarlo Stanton. In 2016 he hit 27 home runs fir the Miami Marlins, then 59 the following year.  If you're a Mariner fan, enjoy this truly historic season of Cal Raleigh because they literally come a long once a decade, if that.