Cal Raleigh Hits 30th Home Run, Breaks Johnny Bench Record, Leads MLB in 2025 with Pace for 66 Homers

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has emerged as the Major League Baseball home run leader in the 2025 season, setting multiple records along the way. On June 17, Raleigh hit his 27th home run, taking the MLB lead. He continued his surge by hitting his 28th and 29th home runs on June 20 during a game against the Chicago Cubs, breaking the 55-year-old record previously held by Hall of Famer Johnny Bench for the most home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break. Raleigh's 29th homer surpassed Bench's 1970 mark, making him the all-time leader in this category.

On June 21, he became the first player in the 2025 season to reach 30 home runs, also becoming the first switch-hitter ever to hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break. This achievement places him alongside Ken Griffey Jr. as one of the only Mariners players to hit 30 or more home runs before the break. By June 22, Raleigh had extended his lead with 31 home runs, helping the Mariners secure a series win over the Cubs. His power hitting continued with a 32nd home run on June 24 in an 11-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins, marking his fourth consecutive game with a home run. Raleigh is on pace to hit 66 home runs this season, which would challenge Roger Maris's non-Steroid Era single-season record of 61. Additionally, Raleigh has recorded at least nine home runs and multiple stolen bases in each of the last three calendar months, a feat no other catcher has achieved in MLB history. His offensive production has sparked discussions about the American League MVP race, with comparisons drawn to New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who is also having a strong season. Raleigh's 2025 season statistics include a .277 batting average, .382 on-base percentage, .658 slugging percentage, 191 weighted runs created plus (wRC+), four fielding runs above average (FRV) at catcher, and an 11.1 fWAR (wins above replacement).