As the Seattle Mariners gear up for the 2026 season, all eyes are on their star catcher, Cal Raleigh. After smashing the single-season home run record for catchers with an astounding 60 dingers last year, Raleigh has set the bar sky-high. But as impressive as that feat was, Raleigh isn't focused on repeating it; instead, he's honing his craft to become even more consistent.
In a candid chat during Mariners spring training, Raleigh shared his mindset with Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “The elephant in the room is 60 home runs.
That’s not something I’m setting out to do,” Raleigh remarked. Instead, he's zeroing in on consistency, aiming to replicate last season's success while refining his skills, particularly at the bottom of the strike zone.
Raleigh is also preparing for the inevitable adjustments pitchers will make. Last season, he faced 20 intentional walks across regular and postseason play and posted a career-high walk rate of 13.8%, ranking sixth in the league with 97 walks.
“Are pitchers going to pitch me different? Probably, based off of what happened last year, but that’s out of my control,” he said.
His focus remains on the nuances of the game, like taking walks and contributing to the team’s success.
Defensively, Raleigh is no slouch, having earned the 2024 Platinum Glove as the top defender in the American League. Yet, he continues to push himself, now with the help of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System.
This new technology allows him to challenge pitches he believes were miscalled, adding another layer to his defensive strategy. Raleigh is also keen on improving his rapport with pitchers, considering more mound visits and other tactics to enhance his game-calling.
“It’s about finding ways to help this team win baseball games,” he emphasized. The introduction of the ABS system presents a new frontier, and Raleigh is eager to explore where the advantages lie.
For more insights from Cal Raleigh, you can catch the full conversation with Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports 710 AM and the Seattle Sports app, broadcasting live from Mariners spring training.