Who Won the Home Run Derby 2025? Cal Raleigh “Big Dumper” Makes History for Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, famously known as the "Big Dumper", has become the first-ever catcher to win the MLB Home Run Derby — and only the second Mariner after Ken Griffey Jr. to do so.
Pitching to him was none other than his dad, Todd Raleigh, while his younger brother Todd Jr. did the catching. Raleigh edged past Brent Rooker by just 0.08 feet in the first round and went on to defeat Junior Caminero in the finals with 18 home runs to Caminero's 15.
In this podcast, we break down every round, every blast, and every emotional moment — including a surprise WWE-style belt celebration and the 54 total homers Raleigh smashed out of Truist Park!
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00:00Welcome to the deep dive. We cut through the noise, get straight to the insights. Today, we're diving into a moment in baseball that's truly historic. We've got excerpts here from a baseball highlights podcast, and they cover this really kind of unexpected triumph.
00:15Yeah, it really was.
00:17So our mission for this deep dive, we want to unpack the story behind Cal Raleigh's home run derby win. We're going beyond just the stats, you know, we want to find those surprising details, the personal stuff that made it resonate, and maybe what it all means for baseball going forward.
00:33And if you somehow missed it, Cal Raleigh fans call him Big Dumper, which, you know, fits his power. He became the first catcher ever to win the home run derby.
00:42Ever. That's the key word.
00:43Absolutely. Happened in Atlanta, a night that genuinely made history.
00:47And what's even wilder is how close it was to, no, not happening at all, right from the start.
00:53You're totally right. That first round, wow, it wasn't some easy cruise for Tal.
00:57Not at all.
00:58We're talking nail-biting stuff. He and Brent Rooker both hit 17 home runs. 17 each.
01:04Mm-hmm. Tied.
01:05And it came down to a margin so tiny, it's almost, like, hard to wrap your head around.
01:09This is where the tech really shows you things. The difference, officially, Raleigh's longest homer was measured at 470.61 feet.
01:17Rooker's, 470.53 feet.
01:21Okay, wait, so 0.08 feet.
01:24Exactly, 0.08 feet. We're talking less than an inch deciding who moves on and who goes home.
01:30Yes.
01:30It's just incredible precision.
01:32Less than an inch. And, you know, Cal had this great quote about it. He called the difference one extra biscuit.
01:37Uh-huh. Love that.
01:38Right. But think about that pressure. How thin that line really was between getting knocked out first round and, well, eventually winning the whole thing adds so much drama.
01:48It really does. It kind of set the tone, didn't it?
01:50Yeah.
01:50That he scraped through that. It showed he was there to really battle.
01:53Yeah, absolutely. And then from that kind of high-wire tension, the story shifts. Becomes much more personal. Really gets to the heart of the night.
01:59Mm-hmm.
01:59Because Cal wasn't just out there by himself. His family played a huge role.
02:04Oh, this part is fantastic. Just a really unique element to his win. You had his dad, Todd Raleigh, former college coach.
02:12Yeah.
02:12Knows his baseball pitching to him.
02:14Right, on the mound.
02:15And then his younger brother, Todd Jr., he was behind the plate catching.
02:19Wow.
02:20So it wasn't just, you know, another competition. It felt like this family dream playing out right there on the biggest stage imaginable.
02:28The emotion of that, seeing it live.
02:30Yeah.
02:31It adds so much depth to the win.
02:32It's like backyard baseball, but, you know, magnified a million times. Just incredible.
02:37Oh, exactly.
02:38Okay, so he gets through that, has this amazing family moment. Then he's got to face the final challenge, Tampa Bay's junior Kamenero in the championship round.
02:46And Kamenero was no pushover. He put up 15 homers in that final round.
02:50Yeah?
02:50That's impressive stuff.
02:51Oh, absolutely. He definitely earned his spot there. But Cal Raleigh, it just felt like he was, I don't know, locked in on a different level that night.
02:58He really did.
02:58He slammed 18 home runs in the finals to take the crown. Decisive.
03:0218. Just answered right back.
03:05And with that win, he becomes only the second Seattle Mariner ever to win the derby. The only other one. Ken Griffey Jr.
03:13Yeah. And that name, Griffey Jr., carries so much weight when you talk about the Home Run Derby, doesn't it?
03:18Totally. He's basically Mr. Home Run Derby. So the company Cal keeps now, that lineage. It's fascinating.
03:24It's more than just a stat, you know. Griffey set the standard. Power, style, the whole package.
03:29For Raleigh, a catcher, to join him. It says a lot about his pure power and just how big this achievement actually is. It really does feel like maybe passing a torch a bit within the Mariners' history.
03:41Yeah. Well said. And the overall numbers for the night. Just dominant. Cal hit a staggering 54 home runs total. 54.
03:49That's a workout. A lot of swings. You bet. But maybe just as memorable and definitely unexpected was what happened after he won.
03:57Oh, yeah. The crossover moment. That was something else. Right. WWE champion Cody Rhodes comes out, presents Cal with a custom WWE title belt.
04:05Which is, you know, pretty cool, but also speaks to this bigger trend we're seeing, doesn't it? This mixing of sports and entertainment.
04:11It wasn't just about baseball anymore. Suddenly it's this pop culture moment blurring those lines. We see it more and more.
04:18Yeah, you really do. Athletes celebrating other athletes across different sports. Okay, so let's try and tie this all together.
04:23You've got the razor-thin win, the family aspect, the big finish, this wild WWE thing.
04:30Yeah.
04:30What really stands out to you, especially about a catcher winning this, a position we think of as defense first, grinding, winning the ultimate power showcase?
04:40What's the takeaway?
04:41Well, I think it seriously challenges some long-held ideas about catchers, right?
04:46Right. Traditionally, they're defensive anchors, game callers, known for toughness, maybe sacrificing some offense for that.
04:54Exactly. The grind behind the plate.
04:55But for Raleigh to not just compete but dominate with 54 homers, it maybe signals a shift or shows the kind of athleticism we're seeing now.
05:04Players aren't always confined to those old boxes.
05:06So maybe less specialization or just higher athletic ceilings overall.
05:09Maybe a bit of both. It could definitely change how teams look at catchers coming up.
05:13Is there more emphasis now on finding guys who can do both, handle the defensive load, and provide that kind of power?
05:22It might push more catchers to work on their power knowing it's possible, knowing that offensive contribution is hugely valuable.
05:29Or maybe it just shows that the physical toll doesn't automatically rule out elite power hitting anymore, thanks to modern training and conditioning.
05:38Yeah, that makes sense, the evolution of the athlete.
05:40Right. It speaks to how specialized training allows guys to excel in ways that maybe seemed contradictory before.
05:47So you have to wonder now, don't you?
05:49Are we going to see more catchers, more big dumpers, stepping into that batter's box during derby week in the future?
05:54Maybe redefining expectations?
05:56It's definitely possible. He's opened a door for sure.
05:58Okay, so wrapping up our deep dive on Cal Raleigh's huge night, we've revisited that incredibly close call, the amazing family scene, the powerful finish, and yeah, that unforgettable WWE moment.
06:11One night.
06:12It really was.
06:13And it leaves you with some interesting things to think about, doesn't it?
06:16Beyond just the celebration, how might this ripple outwards?
06:19You know, could this derby win actually spark something for the Mariners?
06:24Could it fuel a playoff push?
06:26That kind of individual momentum turning into team success.
06:31It's the kind of thing that can provide a boost.
06:33Confidence is contagious.
06:35True.
06:36And then there's the nickname, Big Dumper.
06:39Is this win cementing it as one of those truly iconic baseball nicknames?
06:43Does it reflect how we're maybe appreciating unique player personalities more these days and how they shape the culture around the game?
06:52That's a great point.
06:52Nicknames like that stick when they feel authentic and are tied to memorable moments.
06:56This certainly qualifies.
06:58Definitely something to mull over that intersection of, you know, one guy's amazing night, what it means for his team, and how it fits into the bigger picture of sports culture.
