PRESS BOX: Cal Raleigh deserves to be the American League MVP

Hayden Braun, Contributing Writer

Seattle Mariners player Cal Raleigh, also known as “Big Dumper,” is in the midst of the best catcher season of all time, passing Salvador Perez’s 48-home run season from 2021, according to The Sporting News. 

Raleigh leads the league in home runs with 53 at the time of writing, according to the MLB. He is also the first catcher to win the home-run derby championship, adding to his historic season.

The big debate on who should be the American League’s MVP is between Raleigh and New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge. Judge has the better numbers at bat in nearly every category, from batting average, on base percentage and slugging percentage, according to Stathead. 

However, people forget what being a catcher means. Raleigh is playing one of the most physically demanding positions in baseball, in which offensive output is not necessarily a must. He is putting up elite numbers in homers, RBIs and on-base percentage plus slugging percentage (OPS), being top 10 in each of his categories while catching in over 100 games, according to the MLB. 

Raleigh also has so much positional value as Wins Above Replacement (WAR) heavily favors catchers who hit. He is posting a top-tier WAR while anchoring the defense, and that alone should give him an edge. Raleigh is top 10 in seasonal WAR and No. 2 in offensive WAR. 

Judge is not carrying that defensive load or managing a pitching staff like Raleigh. MVP stands for “most valuable player,” it is not just a statistical award. While stats have some influence, they are not the sole factor. 

Raleigh has been the key piece in the Mariners’ playoff push this season, who sit No. 2 in the American League West, and hold the No. 6 in the American League. 

There is a narrative edge to Raleigh winning AL MVP. Writers love a story, and a switch-hitting catcher leading the Mariners’ playoff push would get massive attention. There have only been 12 catchers to win MVP since the award was first introduced, and if Raleigh wins he could be the 13th catcher all time to take the title. 

Raleigh can still write history, even with the season coming to an end. Less than 21 games remain before the playoffs. 

Raleigh still has a chance to reach 60 home runs. This would be an AL record, allowing him to smash one of if not both of Judge’s home-run records — 58 in 2024 and 62 in 2022. Raleigh still has a 32% chance of reaching 60 home runs at the time of writing, according to sabermetrics writer Dan Szymborski.

Raleigh can also put out the greatest batting season by a Mariner ever if he passes Ken Griffey Jr.’s 56 home-run record. 

As much as Cal Raleigh deserves the MVP award, his historic season has already redefined what it means to be an elite catcher. Judge may have the better batting average, but Raleigh’s value is measured in more than just statistics — it is measured through leadership and endurance. 

The Mariners have a good chance at making it to the playoffs in October, and if MVP truly stands for most valuable player, then the award should go to Cal “Big Dumper” Raleigh.