When most people think about the Seattle Mariners, the first thing that comes to mind is their pitching staff. Without question, they have one of the best rotations in baseball, and most of their starters would be the ace on any other team.
It's so good that many have argued they should trade one in order to address the other problems on the roster, specifically to acquire another bat for the lineup.
While the pitching staff is the best in baseball, the lineup might be one of the worst. The team ranks middle of the pack or worse in most offensive categories over the last several seasons. It's been seen as what could hold Seattle back from making a run at the division.
However, despite the lackluster team numbers, catcher Cal Raleigh has been as good as ever here in 2025.
How Cal Raleigh's hot start makes his extension look genius
Before the season started, the Mariners gave Raleigh a six-year extension worth $105 million. There is also an option for a seventh year at an extra $20 million.
Raleigh has rewarded Seattle for their confidence in him by slashing .233/.333/.593 with nine home runs, 15 RBIs, a 175 OPS+, and a wRC+ of 167. This is thanks in large part to him being red hot over the past 15 games, slashing .290/.380/.742 with eight home runs and 14 RBIs.
A big reason for Raleigh's great start is how hard he's been hitting the baseball. He's currently in the 100th percentile of barrel%, with him getting the barrel on the ball 27.6% of the time. This is a 12.2% jump from the 2024 season.
He's also in the 88th percentile of hard-hit percentage, making solid contact 53.4% of the time. All of this had led to an exit velocity of 93.5, which is in the 92nd percentile.
While it's a small sample size, and it's unknown if he can maintain this pace over the entire season, it's a great start to his new contract extension. There wasn't a ton of doubt after he posted three straight 27+ homer seasons from 2022-24, but it's clear he's taken another step forward here in 2025.
If he can keep up this production over a full 162-game season, that extension will look like a steal. In a world where the offensive ability at catcher is lacking, a player who could produce like Raleigh could demand a contract that rivals even Joe Mauer's historic $184 million deal.
It could also be a solution for the Mariners' offense problem. As mentioned earlier, Seattle's offense leaves much to be desired, but that may be changing behind Raleigh's breakout.
Julio Rodriguez is the team's foremost superstar, and his down start to the year (104 wRC+) would normally put the Mariners in a hole. However, thanks to the protection Raleigh is providing others in the lineup, all of Jorge Polanco (168 wRC+), Randy Arozarena (139 wRC+), Luke Raley (101 wRC+), J.P. Crawford (107 wRC+), and Miles Mastrobuoni (118 wRC+) are off to above-average starts at the plate.
While it's still early to draw definitive conclusions, it seems like Raleigh is in line to have a season to remember.