Cal Raleigh Crowned Home Run Derby Champion—First Catcher and Switch‑Hitter to Claim the Title
Mariners backstop outslugs Caminero in Atlanta
ATLANTA—Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh powered his way into the record books Monday night, edging Tampa Bay Rays phenom Junior Caminero 18‑15 in the final round of the MLB All‑Star Home Run Derby at Truist Park. Raleigh, who leads the majors with 38 homers at the break, is now the first catcher and the first switch‑hitter to win the Derby.
Nail‑biting path to the final
- First round: Raleigh and Oakland’s Brent Rooker each launched 17 long balls, but the Mariners star advanced on a razor‑thin tiebreaker—his longest shot measured 470.61 feet to Rooker’s 470.53.
- Semifinal: He then dispatched Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz 19‑13. Cruz’s 513‑foot moonshot—the night’s longest—wasn’t enough to close the gap.
- Final: Hitting second, Raleigh surpassed Caminero’s 15 blasts in the last minute, sealing the 18‑15 win.
Family affair on the mound
Raleigh’s batting‑practice pitcher was his father, Todd Raleigh, a former college coach at Tennessee and Western Carolina. Younger brother Todd Jr. handled catching duties during the Derby, adding a personal touch to the milestone performance.
Switch‑hitting strategy pays off
Only the second switch‑hitter ever to compete (Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman did so in 2023), Raleigh opened left‑handed for eight homers, switched to the right side for seven more, and finished lefty during bonus time. He stuck with the left side throughout the semifinal and final rounds.
Power show highlights
- Record chase: Cruz’s 513‑footer ranks among the longest tracked by Statcast behind Juan Soto’s 520‑foot blast in 2021’s Derby at Coors Field.
- Early exits: Atlanta’s hometown favorite Matt Olson (15 HR), Washington’s James Wood (16 HR), New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. (3 HR), and Rooker fell in opening‑round action.
- Caminero’s surge: The 22‑year‑old Rays prospect eliminated Minnesota’s Byron Buxton 8‑7 in a tight semifinal before falling short against Raleigh.
Mariners legacy continues
Raleigh joins Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr.—a three‑time Derby winner—as the only Seattle players to capture the crown, reinforcing the franchise’s growing tradition of power hitting.
Source: NBC News – Seattle’s Cal Raleigh becomes first catcher and switch-hitter to win Home Run Derby
