Cal Raleigh’s Spring Training Highlights
In the heart of Peoria, Arizona, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is making headlines this spring with his powerful hitting, already smacking a remarkable 427-foot home run against the Chicago White Sox during an exhibition game. Despite his explosive start, which includes his first spring training homer coming in just his third game, Raleigh is not fixated on replicating his astonishing performance from the previous season.
Focus on Consistency
Raleigh, who shockingly led Major League Baseball with 60 home runs last year, is keen on maintaining consistency rather than chasing another monumental goal. In a candid conversation with Seattle Sports, the 29-year-old athlete explained,
“I think the elephant in the room is 60 home runs. That’s not something I’m setting out to do. To me, I’m just trying to be as consistent as possible, trying to do what I did last year.”
Record-Breaking Performance
Last season, he established himself as a standout performer, achieving the highest home run count ever recorded by a player primarily positioned as a catcher. With 119 games played behind the plate and another 38 as designated hitter, Raleigh also notched a career-high 125 RBIs and secured the runner-up spot in the American League MVP voting, trailing only Yankees’ star Aaron Judge—who has also tallied 60 home runs in the past.
Upcoming World Baseball Classic
As they both prepare to represent Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic—set to kick off next week—Raleigh and Judge find themselves among an exclusive group of players who have reached the 60-homer milestone. This elite list includes only seven athletes, and notably, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are the only players to achieve this feat in consecutive seasons during the late 1990s. McGwire and Sosa also alone remain the only individuals to have multiple seasons with 60 or more home runs, with Sosa adding a third in 2001.
Looking Ahead
As spring training unfolds, all eyes will be on Raleigh, not just for his home run capabilities but for his ongoing commitment to performance consistency on the field.
