Debating American League MVP: Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners Case for 2025

The Case for Cal: Value Beyond the Numbers

When you look at traditional MVP candidates, it’s easy to get drawn into raw power and gaudy stat lines from names like Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees or Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians. But dig a little deeper, and Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners offers a compelling, if unconventional, case—one rooted in positional scarcity and impact relative to peers.

In fantasy football terms? Imagine Travis Kelce putting up WR1 stats—over 2,000 yards and 20 TDs. That’s essentially what Raleigh is doing at catcher, a position historically known for durability concerns and offensive inconsistency. And that positional weight is something voters (and bettors) shouldn’t ignore.

• Home Runs: 22 (1st among AL catchers, top 10 in AL overall)

• RBI: 58+ (depending on latest update)

• Defensive WAR: Positive framing and caught-stealing metrics

• Leadership: Catching one of MLB’s most dominant rotations

The Mariners are leading the AL West and doing so with pitching, defense, and timely hitting. Raleigh is the backbone of all three.

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Betting Outlook: Raleigh a Longshot, But With Upside

At the All-Star break, Raleigh’s MVP odds sit between +3000 and +5000, depending on your sportsbook. That puts him in the fringe contender category—well behind names like:

• Aaron Judge (+140)

• Jose Ramirez (+450)

• Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals (+550)

But here’s the betting edge: none of those players are catchers, and none have the “positional value" narrative that voters could latch onto down the stretch. If the Mariners maintain their division lead and Raleigh keeps slugging .500+ while catching 120+ games? He will get votes.

Best Betting Strategy:

• Sprinkle a Raleigh MVP future at +5000 or better

• Hedge late in the season with Judge/Witt Jr. if the race tightens

• Consider Raleigh as a dark horse finalist or top-3 AL MVP finisher, if your book offers that prop

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What’s Holding Him Back?

The biggest obstacle for Raleigh isn’t production—it’s perception.

• Marketability: He doesn’t play in New York or LA, and he isn’t flashy.

• Position Bias: Catchers rarely win MVP unless their name is Buster Posey or they hit like Mike Piazza.

• Split Bias: Raleigh is a switch-hitter with a pronounced platoon split; that can be used against him in advanced stat circles.

Still, the case builds: if he were an outfielder with the same numbers, he’d be near the top of the MVP board. Catchers just aren’t supposed to produce like this.

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Fantasy vs. Reality: Is This Fantasy MVP or the Real Deal?

There’s no question that Raleigh is the Fantasy MVP at catcher. He was likely taken after names like Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles, Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies, yet he’s delivered the most value per draft capital at the position.

But this isn’t just fantasy. With Seattle’s playoff run, his leadership behind the plate, and a bat that hasn’t slowed down, Raleigh is building a real-world MVP résumé.

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Final Take: Bet the Value, Root for the Rarity

Will Raleigh win AL MVP? Probably not, unless Judge slows down and the Mariners go on a tear. But in terms of value, both on the field and in the market, no player delivers more bang for the buck.

Raleigh MVP Bet: +5000? Worth a flyer.

Mariners AL West Title Futures: Smart add-on if you’re betting Raleigh.

Fantasy MVP? Already a lock.

If baseball voters are ready to think beyond the box score and positional bias, Big Dumper might just dump a surprise on the MVP leaderboard this fall.

You can read all about what’s going on in Major League Baseball at SportsGrid.com.