On July 14, 2025, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh etched his name into baseball history by winning the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Truist Park in Atlanta. As the first catcher and switch-hitting winner in the event’s history, Raleigh’s triumph was a landmark achievement for both him and the Mariners organization. The victory was made even more special by the involvement of his family, fulfilling a childhood prediction captured in a viral video from 20 years ago.
Path to Victory
Raleigh’s journey to the Derby crown was filled with dramatic moments. In the first round, he hit 17 home runs, earning the No. 4 seed among the final four competitors. However, he faced a tense tiebreaker against Oakland’s Brent Rooker, where the longest home run determined the winner. Raleigh’s blast measured 470.62 feet, just 0.96 inches longer than Rooker’s 470.54 feet, allowing him to advance by the slimmest of margins.
In the second round, Raleigh faced Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, who had earlier hit the night’s longest home run at 513 feet. Raleigh outperformed Cruz, hitting 19 home runs to Cruz’s 13, securing his spot in the finals. In the final round, he faced Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, who made a late surge but fell short with 15 home runs to Raleigh’s 18. Raleigh’s total of 54 home runs across the three rounds underscored his power and consistency.
| Round | Opponent | Raleigh’s Home Runs | Opponent’s Home Runs | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Round | Brent Rooker | 17 | 17 (tiebreaker) | Advanced (470.62 ft vs. 470.54 ft) |
| Second Round | Oneil Cruz | 19 | 13 | Advanced |
| Final Round | Junior Caminero | 18 | 15 | Won |
Family Connection
The emotional heart of Raleigh’s victory was his family’s involvement. His father, Todd Sr., a former college baseball coach at Tennessee and Western Carolina, pitched to him during the event, while his 15-year-old brother, Todd Jr., served as the catcher. A viral video from 20 years ago, recorded by Todd Sr. on a handheld camera, captured an 8-year-old Cal Raleigh confidently declaring, “I’m the Home Run Derby champ!” The clip spread rapidly across social media and national broadcasts, adding a layer of destiny to the night.
“The video is crazy,” Raleigh said. “I mean, I don’t know where they found that thing in the archives. Yeah, just kind of surreal. You don’t think you’re going to win it. You don’t think you’ll ever get invited. Then you get invited. The fact that you win it with your family, super special. Just what a night.”
Todd Sr. reflected on the moment, saying, “When you’re a parent, you look at it differently because you want your kids to be happy. I can’t say how lucky and blessed I am.” Todd Jr., already 6-foot-3 and a promising catcher on the Atlanta-area travel-ball circuit, praised his brother’s work ethic: “Everything. His swag, the way he plays, the way he hustles”.
Historic Significance
Raleigh’s “Cal Raleigh Home Run Derby” win marked several milestones. He became the first catcher to win the Derby, a testament to his unique combination of defensive skill and offensive power. As a switch-hitter, he batted from both sides in the first round, a rare feat shared only with Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman in 2023. Raleigh noted that switching sides nearly cost him, as he struggled to maintain momentum right-handed but found his groove with his left-handed swing, using a custom “torpedo” bat from Rawlings.
Raleigh also joined Ken Griffey Jr., who won in 1994, 1998, and 1999, as the only Mariners to claim the Derby title. His victory added to an already stellar 2025 season, where he led MLB with 38 home runs by the All-Star break, second only to Barry Bonds’ 39 in 2001.
Raleigh’s Derby performance reflected his dominance in the 2025 season. Known as “Big Dumper,” he entered the All-Star break with a .268 batting average, 1.021 OPS, and 38 home runs, leading the majors in homers and ranking high in other offensive categories. His power has been a cornerstone of the Mariners’ success, positioning them as contenders for the American League wild-card spot.
The Derby win also carried personal significance for Raleigh, who grew up in North Carolina, just 150 miles from Atlanta. The event at Truist Park was a full-circle moment, as he frequently played in the area during his youth travel-ball days. “It’s really cool,” Raleigh said before the event. “Obviously, for all my family, it’ll be easy for them to get to.”
Raleigh’s strategy included using a balanced “torpedo” bat for his left-handed swings, which he credited for his success after the first round. He found the three-minute duration of the first round particularly challenging, saying, “I thought the first round was the hardest, honestly. Three minutes is a long time”. His decision to switch-hit in the opening round, while bold, nearly cost him, as he struggled to maintain momentum right-handed. However, focusing on his left-handed swing in later rounds allowed him to find a groove.
The tiebreaker in the first round was a highlight, decided by the longest home run rather than a swing-off, which is used in later rounds. Raleigh’s 470.62-foot homer edged out Rooker’s 470.54-foot blast, a difference of less than an inch, prompting Raleigh to remark, “My goodness gracious, that’s close. An inch off, and I’m not even in the final four, which is amazing. So I guess I got lucky there. One extra biscuit”.
Raleigh’s victory was a morale booster for the Mariners and their fans, who celebrated his achievement as a symbol of the team’s resurgence. The event also highlighted his growing stature in baseball, with analysts noting his potential to break records for catchers and switch-hitters. His interaction with Ken Griffey Jr. after the win, including flipping his hat backward in homage, was a touching nod to Mariners history.
As the second half of the 2025 season unfolds, Raleigh’s Derby win positions him as a key figure in the Mariners’ playoff push. His combination of power, versatility, and family-driven motivation makes him a standout in MLB, with the potential for more historic moments to come.
