ATLANTA — Cal Raleigh became the first catcher and first switch hitter to win MLB’s Home Run Derby on Monday night at Truist Park.
- Cal Raleigh, a switch-hitting catcher, won the MLB Home Run Derby.
- He slugged 54 home runs across three rounds, including 18 in the final.
- Raleigh also had a stellar first half of the season, hitting 38 home runs before the All-Star Break.
- His father, Todd, and brother, Todd Jr., were integral to his journey.
- Raleigh joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only Mariners to win the event.
The Seattle Mariners star out-slugged Rays third baseman Junior Caminero in the final round, a fitting culmination to a remarkable season. Raleigh has been one of baseball’s hottest hitters, faring exceptionally well for a catcher who rarely gets a day off. Before the All-Star break, he smashed 38 home runs, just one shy of Barry Bonds’ league record for home runs before the break.
A Dream Fueled by Backyard Footage
The victory brought Raleigh’s childhood dreams full circle. His father, Todd, unearthed a video from when an 8-year-old Cal declared himself a backyard Home Run Derby champ. “The video is crazy,” Raleigh said. “I mean, I don’t know where they found that thing in the archives. Just kind of surreal.”
A full circle moment for Cal Raleigh 🥹
📹: @DKramer_ https://t.co/4C2HM38yN0 pic.twitter.com/KrddFAxd98
— MLB (@MLB) July 15, 2025
Raleigh credited his father for his success, stating, “He’s the one that made me both of them: catcher and a switch hitter.” Todd Raleigh, a former college baseball coach, instilled the switch-hitting technique from an early age, even using a big ball and a red bat. His father even put his career on pause to help Cal develop.
Family Affair, Historic Win
Backed by his father pitching and his younger brother, Todd Jr., catching, Raleigh hit 54 home runs across three rounds. He launched 18 in the final, besting Caminero, who managed 15. In his first round, Raleigh showed his versatility, hitting 10 home runs from the left side and seven from the right.
On the field, Raleigh presented the trophy to his father and a commemorative title belt to his brother. “The fact you win it with family — super special,” he said. “Just, what a night.”
Cal Raleigh, alongside his father and brother, showcasing the hardware they will take home.
“Anybody that’s ever played baseball as a kid dreams of stuff like this,” Todd Raleigh reflected. “I dreamed of it. He dreamed of it. When you’re a parent, you look at it differently because you want your kids to be happy.”
Raleigh’s journey to the final was almost cut short. He was tied with Brent Rooker after the first round, with their longest home runs separated by a mere fraction of an inch – 470.61 feet for Raleigh and 470.53 feet for Rooker. The tiebreaker, longest home run distance, nearly eliminated him. “An inch off, and I’m not even in the final four, which is amazing,” Raleigh admitted. “So I guess I got lucky there. One extra biscuit.”
In the semifinals, Raleigh powered through with 19 blasts, comfortably surpassing Oneil Cruz’s 13. The victory earns Raleigh a $1 million prize and the coveted Home Run Derby chain. He now joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only Mariners to have won the competition, with Griffey achieving the feat three times in the late 1990s.
