Cal Raleigh is having a generational season for a catcher, but Aaron Judge is still the best hitter in the AL. Can Raleigh win MVP?

Raleigh’s 93 home runs prior to this year were the most through a catcher’s first four seasons in MLB history, but 73 of those homers came hitting left-handed. Entering the 2025 season, Raleigh had never slugged above .450 as a right-handed hitter.

Raleigh, the current MLB home run leader, showcased his power from both sides of the plate as a switch-hitter. He started the Derby batting right-handed, then switched to the left side after Round 1. Across all three rounds, he crushed 53 total home runs, including 18 in the final to defeat Rays phenom Junior Caminero, who managed 15.