Cal Raleigh Baseball Cards: Tracking the Rise of the Mariners’ Power-Hitting Catcher
Cal Raleigh burst onto the MLB scene with the Seattle Mariners in 2021 and immediately began making an impact with his powerful bat from the catcher position. While still early in his career, Raleigh has shown all the tools to be an impact player for years to come in Seattle. Not surprisingly, collectors have taken notice of Raleigh’s potential and his baseball cards have begun to gain value. Let’s take a deeper look at Cal Raleigh’s career so far and analyze the trajectory of his rookie cards.
Background: Raleigh was drafted by the Mariners in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Florida State University. He spent three seasons in the minors, working his way up from A-ball to Triple-A before getting his first MLB call-up in 2021. In the minors, Raleigh showed impressive power for a catcher, hitting over 20 home runs in 2019 and 2021 across multiple levels. This power potential is what drew the Mariners to draft Raleigh and clearly he was developing as hoped in their system.
MLB Debut: Raleigh got his first taste of major league action in 2021, making his MLB debut on August 24th against the Oakland A’s. In his first game, he collected his first career hit, a single off Cole Irvin. He would finish the 2021 season playing in 30 games, hitting .163 with 6 home runs in limited playing time. While the average was low, Raleigh flashed the raw power that made him an intriguing prospect by hitting homers at a rate of one every 18 at-bats. This power showed his upside if he could make more consistent contact.
2022 Breakout: Raleigh entered 2022 with an opportunity for more playing time and he took full advantage. Through the first two months of the 2022 season, Raleigh was one of the Mariners’ best hitters, batting .208 with 9 home runs in just 146 at-bats. He was showing he could provide impactful power even if he struggled to hit for average. In June, Raleigh really broke out, slashing .250/.333/.579 with 8 home runs to be named the AL Rookie of the Month. By the All-Star break, he had established himself as Seattle’s starting catcher with 15 home runs in only 73 games played. Raleigh would finish his first full MLB season hitting .233 with 27 home runs – the most ever by a Mariners rookie. His 27 homers also led all MLB catchers, showcasing his incredible raw power.
Card Values: As a result of his breakout 2022 season, Raleigh’s rookie cards have gained substantial value since his MLB debut just one year ago. Let’s examine some of his key rookie cards and how their prices have changed:
2021 Topps Chrome Yellow Refractor RC #193 – Listed around $20-30 in early 2022, now commands $75-100 as a valuable refractor rookie.
2021 Topps Chrome Orange Refractor RC #193 – Went for $50-75 in spring 2022, now a $150-200 card after his 27 homer season.
2021 Topps Chrome Red Refractor RC #193 – A true high-end rookie, valued at $150-200 last winter but now a $400-500 card.
2021 Topps Series 2 Gold Foil RC #213 – Traded hands for $50-75 last year, now a steady $150 card.
2021 Topps Update Green Shimmer RC #US67 – Was $75-100 early 2022, now a $200-250 valued parallel.
As you can see, across all of Raleigh’s key rookie parallels from 2021 Topps products, values have increased 2-4x just over the last year alone. This is a testament to his breakout power season which has collectors taking notice of his long-term potential.
Future Outlook: At just 26 years old and with one full season under his belt, the future remains incredibly bright for Cal Raleigh. He has cemented himself as Seattle’s starting catcher for 2023 and beyond barring any major setbacks. If he can continue to provide 25+ home run power while improving his contact skills and on-base ability, Raleigh has the makings of a perennial All-Star. His impressive raw power from the catcher position is something that cannot be taught. As he gains more experience, his plate discipline should also continue to sharpen. All signs point to Raleigh being a core piece for the up-and-coming Mariners for the long haul.
As for his baseball card market, expect values to remain steady or potentially increase further if Raleigh builds on his 2022 breakout season. Young power hitters who play premium defensive positions like catcher are highly sought after. If he becomes an established star, some of Raleigh’s top parallels could appreciate into the $1,000+ range within the next few years. At minimum, his base rookies should hold the $75-100 range long term. Cal Raleigh has all the makings of a true star and his cards are primed to be a great long-term investment for patient collectors. 2023 will be another big year to watch the development of this emerging slugger.
In summary, Cal Raleigh burst onto the MLB scene in 2021 with the Seattle Mariners and had a true breakout season in 2022. At just 26 years old, his best seasons are likely still ahead of him. As a powerful young catcher, Raleigh’s cards have gained significant value over the past year and more increases seem likely if he continues progressing. His rookie parallels make for intriguing long-term holds and Cal Raleigh himself has All-Star potential that could be realized in the coming seasons.
