A viral video from 20 years ago returned to the spotlight last week, showcasing an 8-year-old Cal Raleigh confidently declaring, “I’m the Home Run Derby champ!” That playful prediction now carries a weight of nostalgia and triumph, as the Seattle Mariners catcher indeed claimed the title on Monday night, adding a unique twist to a memorable event.
What makes this moment even sweeter is the familial embrace surrounding it: Cal’s father, Todd Sr., who filmed that iconic prophecy, stood on the mound during the Derby, while his younger brother, 15-year-old Todd Jr., rallied behind the plate. This was a night steeped not just in personal achievement but in the special bonds that make baseball so much more than a game.
“It’s crazy,” Raleigh said from Truist Park, marking his place in history as the first catcher and switch-hitting winner of the Derby, sharing the spotlight with Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr., who also boasts multiple Derby titles. “You don’t envision winning something like this, or even getting invited. To do it alongside my family? Super special. Just what a night.”
Raleigh’s journey to victory was anything but easy. The first round was marked by dramatic tension, as he edged through—quite literally—by less than one inch. He then dispatched a strong challenge from Oneil Cruz in the second round before finally outshining Junior Caminero in the finals, fending off a late surge from his competitor.
This victory also caps off a spectacular season for the slugger, who is poised as one of the top power hitters as he heads into the All-Star break with 38 homers—just shy of Barry Bonds’ all-time record of 39 in a single season.
Throughout the night, Raleigh showcased his batting prowess: he blasted 17 homers in the pool round, followed it up with 19 in the second round—outpacing Cruz’s 13—and topped off his evening with 18 in the finals against Caminero, who tallied 15. Notably, Raleigh switched between batting right and left, another testament to his versatile skill set, joining fellow switch-hitter Adley Rutschman as one of the few players to do so in Derby history.
However, this strategic switch could have cost him dearly, as he found himself in a tie with A’s slugger Brent Rooker after the first round. The tiebreaker came down to the longest homer hit, and Raleigh narrowly clinched a spot in the finals, launching a 470.62-foot blast against Rooker’s 470.54-foot effort. “An inch off, and I might not even be in the final four,” Raleigh mused, acknowledging the razor-thin margins that can define a game like this.
Once he found his rhythm, Raleigh tapped into his left-handed swing, employing his custom “torpedo” bat from Rawlings, which he preferred over the top-heavy alternative used when hitting right-handed.
“I thought the first round was the hardest, honestly,” said Raleigh. After the initial round, he communicated clearly with his dad and brother about wanting to switch-hit, keen to seize the moment regardless of the outcome. “I got lucky to make it to the next round, so I just stuck to what was working.”
However, for Raleigh, the win was only part of the night’s fulfillment. Enjoying this event together with his dad and brother solidified the experience. Todd Jr. is already on his own impressive path in baseball, towering over Cal at 6-foot-3 and following in his brother’s footsteps.
“As a parent, you see things differently because you want your kids to be happy,” reflected Todd Sr. “It’s an incredible blessing. Every dad who plays baseball dreams of this. To share these moments as a family has been truly special.”
Todd Jr. playfully claimed he had the best seat in the house for the Derby and would hold on to all the stylish merchandise from MLB. Yet his deeper admiration for Cal resonated through his words: “Everything. His swag, the way he plays, the way he hustles.”
This wasn’t just a night about home runs but a family legacy coming full circle—an affirmation that sometimes, dreams, no matter how far-flung, can just come true.
