The “Big Dumper” is changing the way Major League Baseball values the catcher position. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is leading the majors in home runs with 32, four more than Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, who both have 28.

We have seen power-hitting catchers in the past: Mike Piazza, Johnny Bench, Gary Carter, Javy Lopez, and Salvador Perez. However, none have more homers in a season than Perez at 48. We are halfway through the season right now, and Raleigh is on pace for 64 home runs. He would shatter the record that Perez broke in 2021 when he surpassed Bench's record that had stood since 1970, when he smashed 45 for the Cincinnati Reds.

With Raleigh's 32 home runs this season, he joins another elite list of players who have done that. He was asked about it when he joined the Dan Patrick Show.

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“I mean, you know you always want to have that confidence as a baseball player going into the box,” Raleigh responded to Dan Patrick. “You want to feel like you’re the best player in the world, right? But the real side of it, it’s kind of hard to fathom, especially when you rattle off names like that. So anytime you’re in that company, hearing those names, you know you’re doing something you know pretty good.”

Here is the list of players Raleigh joins to hit 30 home runs by the end of June. Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, and then Ohtani and Judge. The fact that MLB has three active players on this list is great for the game. The Big Dumper is turning into one of the best power hitters in the game. He is about to surpass his career high of 34 homers, probably by next week if he stays on pace. Raleigh also leads the majors with 69 RBIs.

The Mariners are 41-39 on the season, 6.5 games back of the Houston Astros for 1st in the AL West. They battle with the Texas Rangers starting Friday.