AquaSox Alumni Is Silver Slugger Award Finalist

November 4, 2024 - Seattle, WA: Major League Baseball and Louisville Slugger announced today that AquaSox alumni and current Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has been named as one of four finalists for the 2024 American League Silver Slugger Award at catcher, along with Yainer Diaz, Shea Langeliers, and Salvador Perez.

The Silver Slugger Awards will be announced Tuesday, November 12, televised on MLB Network starting at 3:00 p.m. PT.

Raleigh, 27, tallied career-highs with 34 home runs and 100 RBI in 2024, setting franchise records for most home runs and RBI in a season by a catcher. Raleigh posted a .748 OPS (119 OPS+), batting .220 (120x546) with 73 runs, 16 doubles, 34 homers, 100 RBI, 6 stolen bases and 70 walks, getting on base at a .312 clip and slugging .436.

The 27-year-old catcher led AL catchers in both FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (5.4) and Baseball-Reference Wins Above Replacement (4.6) in 2024.

Raleigh led Major League catchers in home runs (34) for the third consecutive season, ranking ahead of Langeliers (29) and Perez (27). Raleigh became the first catcher to lead his position group in home runs across the Majors in three consecutive seasons since Hall of Famer Mike Piazza did it in four consecutive seasons from 1999-2002.

After it was announced yesterday that Raleigh secured his first career Rawlings Gold Glove Award, the backstop could become the fourth different Mariners player to win a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award in the same season and would join Ken Griffey Jr. (7x, 1991, ’93-94, ’96-99), Ichiro Suzuki (3x, 2001, ’07, ’09) and Bret Boone (2003).

Raleigh put together one of the most impressive seasons by a switch-hitting catcher in baseball history, homering from both sides of the plate twice. He did it twice in a 3-game span, on July 9 at San Diego and July 11 at Los Angeles-AL. He became the fourth player in Major League history to do that, joining Eddie Murray (1987), Ken Caminiti (1995) and Jeff DaVanon (2003). After homering from both sides of the plate in 2023 at Boston, Cal is now the fifth catcher in MLB history to do it 3+ times in a career, joining Jorge Posada (8x), Todd Hundley (5x), Yasmani Grandal (4x) and Victor Martinez (3x).

In 2024, Cal led the Major Leagues in innings caught (1122.0) and catcher ERA (3.30), leading the Mariners in games played (153), plate appearances (628), homers (34), RBI (100), extra-base hits (50) and total bases (238).

Cal hit a walk-off grand slam on June 10 vs. the Chicago White Sox, the 10th walk-off grand slam in franchise history. He was one of the most clutch hitters in the Majors, with his three game-tying/go-ahead homers in the 9th inning or later tied for 2nd most in the Majors.

Raleigh went 6-for-7 in stolen bases, the fourth catcher in MLB history with 30+ homers and 6+ stolen bases in a season and joining a trio of Hall of Famers: Johnny Bench (1970), Carlton Fisk-(1985) and Ivan Rodriguez (1999).

Raleigh was named Mariners Most Valuable Player by the BBWAA’s Seattle Chapter following the 2024 season.

ABOUT THE EVERETT AQUASOX: Celebrating 30 years as a Seattle Mariner affiliate in 2025, the Everett AquaSox (High-A) are a proud member of the Northwest League. For updates on the upcoming season, community initiatives, and Webbly appearances follow the Frogs on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, or visit our website, AquaSox.com.Season ticket packages, group outings, and picnics outings can be purchased by calling (425) 258-3673 or visiting the AquaSox Front Office at 3802 Broadway.