ATLANTA, GA — After Major League Baseball’s 2025 All-Star Game takes place Tuesday night at Truist Park in Atlanta, Seattle Mariners’ All-Star switch-hitting slugging catcher Cal Raleigh will head home with a new collection of hardware.
The American League All-Star starting catcher, who crushed 38 homers before the All-Star break to currently lead all of MLB, won the 2025 Home Run Derby Monday evening, defeating Tampa Bay Rays’ young Dominican superstar Junior Caminero in the championship round, 18-15.
Becoming the first-ever catcher and switch-hitter to win the HR Derby in the event’s 30+ year history, Raleigh, also joined Ken Griffey Jr. as the only Mariners to come out on top as the HR Derby champion.
“It means the world,” said the 28-year-old Raleigh, who chose to have his father Todd Sr. pitch to him and brother Todd Jr., stationed behind the plate to catch.
“I could have hit zero home runs and I would have just as much fun. I just can’t believe we won.”
Raleigh’s dad, assisting with his son’s 54 home run performance, followed by stating, “Anybody that’s ever played baseball as a kid dreams of stuff like this. I dreamed of it. He (Cal) dreamed of it. When you’re a parent, you look at it differently because you want your kids to be happy.”
Despite Raleigh heading home with a $1,000,000 cash prize, the Home Run Derby trophy, one of a kind Atlanta-styled HR Derby chain, and WWE-MLB customized HR Derby championship belt presented by WWE superstar Cody Rhodes, Dominicans once again took over the show—a yearly tradition for one of the most entertaining All-Star events across professional sports.
Caminero, 22, of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic recorded 44 home runs on the night across all three rounds, while Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz, 26, of Nizao, Dominican Republic hit 34 homers total over the first two rounds.
“I didn’t think I was going to hit as many home runs or make it to the finals,” Caminero said through an interpreter while Cruz stated through major league coach Stephen Morales translating, “As a player, this is the kind of stage you want to be on.”
“If I have to do it again at some point, to try to win the whole thing, I’ll do it.”
Atlanta Ties between Oneil Cruz’s Opening Round Performance and The Great One’s No. 21
The 2022 National League LatinoMVP Rookie of the Year, Cruz, had an opening round performance for the ages, included with 21 home runs, as one shot traveled 513 feet—tying New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge (2017 HR Derby at loan Depot Park in Miami, Florida) for the longest home run in HR Derby history—outside of the 2021 HR Derby, which took place at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado.
Ironically in 1972, Roberto Clemente made the National League All-Star team—his 15th and final ASG selection of his career.
But, Clemente could not play the game in Atlanta at Atlanta Stadium due to a lingering, ankle injury—information provided by Danny Torres of the Talkin’ 21 Podcast.
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