Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh had a record-setting season in 2025, most notably with his 60 home runs. That gave Seattle more than enough reason to feel good about signing him to a six-year, $105 million contract extension just before the 2025 season. Fans are doubting whether this contract extension was worth it, but Seattle had talks with Raleigh about his long-term future with the team for a reason, and his extension will not end in disaster.
The Cal Raleigh Contract Value Extends Beyond Early-Season Struggles
At first glance, Raleigh’s 2026 numbers are lackluster. Through 41 games, Raleigh is batting .141 with a .243 OBP and a mediocre seven home runs compared to his 23 home runs this time last season. He is also currently on the Injured List with a right oblique strain, adding further disruption to his offensive rhythm. For a player whose nickname is Big Dumper, the offense isn’t there this time around.
Judging Raleigh’s contract extension based on the first half of this season, though, ignores that catchers like Raleigh are valued more for their defensive performances. Powerhouse hitting catchers are extremely rare, with the last one before Raleigh being Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals in 2021, when he hit 48 home runs. Raleigh, while not producing as many home runs in 2025, is still toward the top of the list this season for home runs by catchers.
It is also worth noting that $105 million over six years is not an albatross contract in today’s market, averaging $17.5 million per year. Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a 14-year, $500 million contract extension in April 2025 and averages $35.7 million per year. Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith signed a mega 10-year, $140 million contract extension in 2024 that ranks among the highest for catchers. Seattle giving Raleigh, who’s 29 years old, a $105 million contract is way less of a financial risk than teams paying 100+ million dollars for a veteran player that ultimately gets traded or retires due to injury/age.
Mariners Bet on the Long Game, Not a Hot Streak
If Raleigh has the worst performance of his career this year, it is still just one out of six seasons. Long-term contract extensions are evaluated by a player’s performance over multiple years, not the first four months.
The Mariners understood exactly who they were committing to: a streaky, power-hitting catcher who can carry an offense when he gets hot and has improved throughout the majority of his career. Raleigh went from hitting two home runs and driving in 13 RBIs in 2021 to 34 home runs and 100 RBIs in 2024. That was before his big breakout season in 2025, so Raleigh does show promise and long-term value to the Mariners’ offense.
There is no denying that the 2026 season has been off to a slow start for Raleigh, leading some fans to question whether Seattle made the right move. His offensive absence doesn’t mean the extension is a mistake. Calling the contract extension a fluke shows impatience and pressure for Raleigh to repeat 2025 rather than what he already brings to the team. If anything, it is setting the stage for the kind of rebound that made him worth extending in the first place.
