Big Dumper for MVP?: Cal Raleigh is Having a Breakout Season in 2025

Instagram.com (@mariners)

Standing at 6’2”, 235 pounds of solid rock, Cal Raleigh had taken the MLB by storm in 2025. Raleigh, otherwise known as Big Dumper (for his massive backside), has single-handedly sparked a Mariners' offense that has struggled to be consistent this season. He has also had a historic month of June, which has made him shoot to the top of American League MVP odds. Let’s take a look at Raleigh’s performance this season and how it has impacted this Mariners’ ball club.

Let’s start first with Raleigh’s MVP caliber season so far. The Mariners’ switching-hitting catcher is slashing .275/.380/.651 with a major league-leading 32 home runs and 69 RBI, along with stealing a career high nine bags. Raleigh is also ranked in the top of major league ranks in power metrics. According to MLB’s Baseball Savant, Raleigh ranks 5th in barrels per plate appearance percentage (11.8) and is in the 98th percentile in barrel percentage. 

What makes Raleigh’s season even more remarkable is that he played over 500 innings at catcher this season. At the most grueling position in the sport, Big Dumper has become the first switch hitter to hit 30+ home runs before the All-Star break, holds the home run record by a catcher before the All-Star break (32 and counting), and is currently third in franchise history for home runs before the All-Star break. Who holds those top spots, you might ask, none other than baseball legend and 13-year Seattle Mariner Ken Griffey Jr. (33 in 1994 and 35 in 1998). Raleigh is having a season for the record books, and it is not even July yet.

The month of June has been good to Raleigh. This month, Raleigh is tied for first in home runs (10), including a six-game stretch from Tuesday, June 17 to Monday, June 23, where Raleigh had six home runs and 14 RBI. He is also tied for first in RBI (25), and eighth in OPS (1.079) in June.

Raleigh’s hot bat has been contiguous for the Mariners’ offense recently. The Mariners have been winners of 8 of their last 13 games. In those wins, they have averaged 8 runs per contest and 2 home runs per game.

According to ESPN, Cal Raleigh is currently second behind Yankees’ superstar Aaron Judge in American League MVP odds. As of now, it looks like it will be tough to overtake Judge for MVP if Raleigh does not increase his average. Judge leads the MLB in batting average (.361), OPS (1.180), and has similar power numbers to Raleigh, but Big Dumper is focused on winning games more than his individual accolades. 

“The minute you look up and start to admire (is) when the game will come around and put you in your place.” Raleigh told reporters when asked about him being in MVP conversations. He knows that baseball is a game of ebbs and flows. Baseball is a game that requires maximum focus in between those white lines in order to perform, and Raleigh understands that.

The Mariners look to finish their ten game road trip strong as they travel to Arlington, Texas to take on their division rival, Texas Rangers, winners of four of their last six. First pitch will be at 8:05. Let’s see if Big Dumper can finish off his already impressive road trip on a good note.

Interested in elite hitting backstops? Click the link to see my most recent feature story on the best hitting catchers of all time!

Thank you for reading!

Elias Meredith (@EAM_55)