In a thrilling display of power and family pride, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners etched his name into Major League Baseball history by becoming the first catcher ever to win the Home Run Derby. The 28-year-old slugger triumphed over Tampa Bay Rays' rising star Junior Caminero in the final round held at Truist Park in Atlanta on Monday night, July 14, 2025. Raleigh’s victory wasn’t just a personal milestone—it was a heartfelt family affair, with his father Todd pitching and his 15-year-old brother Todd Jr. catching during the event.
Raleigh, affectionately nicknamed "Big Dumper," capped off a dream season already marked by his MLB-best 38 home runs before the All-Star break. On pace for an astonishing 64 homers, he’s threatening to break Aaron Judge’s American League record of 62, a feat that would solidify his place among the game’s elite power hitters. This Derby win adds another dazzling chapter to his breakout year.
The Home Run Derby brought together an electric field of eight competitors, featuring some of baseball’s most prodigious power hitters. Alongside Raleigh and Caminero, the semifinals spotlight included Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton and Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz, both eliminated before the final showdown. The first round saw the exit of notable names like Brent Rooker, James Wood, Matt Olson, and Jazz Chisholm Jr., who struggled in the humid Atlanta heat.
Raleigh’s path to the championship was anything but straightforward. In the first round, he faced a razor-thin tiebreaker against Brent Rooker, both finishing with 17 home runs. The deciding factor came down to a difference of just 0.08 feet—approximately one inch—in longest home run distance, with Raleigh’s 470.61-foot blast narrowly surpassing Rooker’s 470.53 feet. "An inch off and I’m not even in the final four," Raleigh reflected. "I guess I got lucky there. One extra biscuit." This nail-biter moment underscored the intense competition and the precision technology of Statcast that measures every swing.
Once past the first hurdle, Raleigh shifted gears in the semifinals, opting to bat exclusively left-handed. He launched 19 home runs, including a streak where he homered on six consecutive pitches, overpowering Oneil Cruz’s 13 homers and securing a spot in the final. Cruz, despite his elimination, was a crowd favorite, electrifying fans with his prodigious power, including the longest home run of the night—a mammoth 513-foot blast that tied Aaron Judge for the longest non-Coors Field homer in Derby history. Cruz’s performance was a showcase of raw strength and bat speed, hitting nine of the ten longest home runs of the event.
The final round pitted Raleigh against Junior Caminero, a 22-year-old Rays third baseman who nearly became the youngest Derby champion ever. Caminero impressed with 44 home runs over the course of the competition, displaying remarkable loft and bat speed, but ultimately fell short with 15 homers in the final. Raleigh’s clutch hitting, including three homers in the bonus round, sealed the victory with an 18-15 score.
The Derby was not without its moments of drama and fan interaction. A young fan named Sam Musterer made headlines by catching a ball hit by Caminero that appeared destined to clear the fence, momentarily 'robbing' a home run. After review, the hit was still counted, but the play added to the night’s excitement. Raleigh joked about the incident, "I paid him off," showing his lighthearted spirit amid the competition.
Raleigh’s unique family dynamic added a sentimental layer to the event. His father, Todd, who coached college baseball and instilled switch-hitting skills in Cal from a young age, took the mound as his pitcher. Todd explained, "Did it from the first day, when he was in diapers, literally. I’d throw it slow and he’d hit it, then I’d switch his hands and do it again." Meanwhile, Todd Jr., the 15-year-old catcher, was the vocal MVP behind the plate, hyping up his brother and keeping spirits high throughout the grueling rounds.
Seattle Mariners fans have much to celebrate, as Raleigh’s victory ties their franchise with the New York Yankees for the most Home Run Derby wins by a team—four each. Raleigh joins Ken Griffey Jr., who won the Derby three times in the 1990s, as the only Mariners to capture the title. This win not only highlights Raleigh’s personal achievements but also signals the Mariners’ rising prominence in the American League West, a division they have not won since 2001.
Other notable performances included Byron Buxton, who hit 20 home runs in the first round before falling to Caminero in the semifinals, and hometown favorite Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves, who rallied late in the first round with 15 homers but was eliminated. Jazz Chisholm Jr. struggled, hitting just three home runs, the fewest in a first round since the Derby adopted its timer format in 2015.
The 2025 Home Run Derby featured a format of three rounds: the first round allowed three minutes or 40 pitches to hit as many homers as possible, with a bonus period if certain conditions were met. The semifinals and finals each consisted of two minutes or 27 pitches, with ties broken by swing-offs. This format tested stamina, consistency, and strategic pacing, especially in the sweltering Atlanta heat.
Reflecting on his victory, Raleigh expressed deep gratitude and joy: "It means the world. I could have hit zero home runs and I would have had just as much fun. I just can’t believe I won. It’s unbelievable." His father echoed the sentiment, calling the experience "a dream come true" and emphasizing the special bond formed through sharing the moment as a family.
As the Home Run Derby spotlight fades, all eyes turn to Raleigh’s pursuit of the American League MVP and leading the Mariners toward their first AL West title and potentially their first World Series appearance. With a season like this, and a Derby win to boot, the Big Dumper’s story is just getting started.
