Cal Raleigh, catcher for the Seattle Mariners, broke the single-season home run record for catchers by hitting his 49th home run on August 24, 2025, surpassing Salvador Perez’s previous record of 48. This achievement places his season among the most surprising power displays in MLB history, especially for a catcher.
Cal Raleigh is a switch-hitting catcher who has emerged as a power hitter for the Seattle Mariners. On August 24, 2025, he hit his 48th and 49th home runs in a game against the Oakland Athletics, setting a new MLB record for most home runs in a season by a catcher. This broke the previous record of 48 home runs set by Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals in 2021.
The record-breaking moment occurred at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, during the Mariners’ 11-4 victory over the Athletics. Raleigh achieved this feat in the first two innings of the game, hitting back-to-back home runs in consecutive at-bats. His first home run, a 448-foot blast, tied Perez’s record, and the second one secured the new milestone.
Raleigh’s season is particularly surprising because, while he had shown power with 30 home runs in each of the previous two seasons, his surge to nearly 50 home runs before September is unprecedented for a catcher. He leads the majors in home runs, and if he maintains this, he could become the first American League catcher to outright lead the league in home runs, a feat only matched by Johnny Bench in the National League.
How Raleigh achieved this involves a combination of consistent playing time, as he has missed only three games all season, and some time as a designated hitter, which has helped preserve his energy. However, the majority of his home runs have come while catching, showcasing his durability and skill behind the plate. His performance is even more impressive given that he plays in a pitcher-friendly home park, where he has still managed to hit 24 home runs.
The impact of Raleigh’s season extends beyond the catcher record. He also broke Mickey Mantle’s record for most multi-home run games by a switch-hitter in a season, with nine such games. This places him in elite company and highlights his versatility as a hitter. Additionally, he is closing in on other records, such as Mantle’s switch-hitter home run record of 54 and Ken Griffey Jr.’s Mariners record of 56 home runs.
Looking ahead, with 31 games remaining in the season, Raleigh is projected to easily surpass 50 home runs and could challenge the higher records. However, his high strikeout rate in August suggests he might benefit from rest, but the Mariners’ playoff push makes it difficult to sit him. His season is being compared to other surprising 50-homer campaigns in MLB history, like those of Luis Gonzalez and George Foster, but with the added novelty of coming from a catcher.
In summary, Raleigh’s 2025 season is a historic and unexpected power surge that redefines what is possible for catchers in modern baseball, with potential to break more records as the season concludes.