Cal’s Rally Shakes Up The Hobby
Cal Raleigh is having a record-breaking season. And we’re not just talking about his home-run pace for a catcher, a Mariners player, or a switch-hitter. Raleigh is also setting new standards for how deep into an MLB career it takes for one’s rookie card to explode in value.
The five-year veteran is breaking all the collecting rules.
When Raleigh blasted his MLB-leading 42nd homer of the season on July 27, he was the odds-on favorite to win the American League MVP Award. His current full-season pace sits at 6o homers, shattering the records for a member of the Mariners (Ken Griffey Jr., 56, 1997 and 1998), for a catcher (Salvador Perez, 48, 2021), and for a switch hitter (Mickey Mantle, 54, 1961). He would be within striking distance of the American League round-tripper record set by Aaron Judge in 2022. Raleigh’s MVP candidacy was elevated from long shot after Judge was sidelined with an elbow injury in late July (Judge returned to the Yankees’ lineup on August 4).
Raleigh was also the American League leader in RBIs through late July, and his current pace of 128 would set a positional record for the Senior Circuit (Johnny Bench had 148 for the Reds in 1970). As if that weren’t enough, he was also among the MLB leaders in catcher caught stealings and framing (called strikes on borderline pitches). And let’s not forget he became the reigning T-Mobile Home Run Derby champion.
Quieter Swing Conquers Fastballs
Power and excellent catching are nothing new for Raleigh. But the first-time All-Star took his game to a level of excellence in 2025 that has defied all projections. It’s no wonder his cards have risen in value like his fence-clearing moon shots.
Previously, Raleigh struggled with top velocity, especially when batting from the right side, hitting only .128 against fastballs 93+ mph. He made the adjustment to quiet his hands and reduce the load time on his swing. His natural strength took care of the rest. In July, his OPS from both sides on 93+ mph fastballs improved 374 points to 1.041, one of the top marks in Baseball.
Raleigh Joins the Ranks of History’s Late Bloomers
If these adjustments prove sustainable, Raleigh, 28, would join a list of late-blooming MLB players who became multi-year All-Stars. This list includes fellow catcher Jorge Posada (not even a starter until age 29), Jeff Kent (299 HRs beginning at age 29), 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson (his age 29 season), and, most famously, Hall of Famer David Ortiz (452 HRs beginning at age 28).
This year, Raleigh has become just the second catcher with three-straight 30-homer seasons (Mike Piazza, eight). His rookie card never made it to the dollar bin, but it was hardly highly prized before this summer. According to CardLadder, his 2019 Bowman Chrome® Baseball 1st Bowman Auto Refractor (#/499) in PSA 10 has increased nearly 2,300% since May, to $1,700. And the same card is up 800% in a Mint PSA 9 since the offseason. These prices don’t yet factor in the injury to Judge that made Raleigh the MVP favorite. It’s that award that typically increases the value of a player’s rookie card most dramatically.
Raleigh is set to be in Seattle for many years, having signed a six-year extension that runs through the 2030 season. The Mariners’ investment in him in March has proven to be as sharp as those who then purchased his cards. Seattle locked him up for just over $105 million over the six years, which is a fraction of what Raleigh would have commanded in his final two years of arbitration and free agency, given this breakout. Raleigh is set to join the Mount Rushmore of single-season catcher Wins Above Replacement, with his pace of 8.5 topped only by Hall of Famers Piazza (1997), Bench (1972), and Gary Carter (1982).
