Mariners do right by Cal Raleigh with long-term contract extension

The Seattle Mariners have locked down the team’s club house leader and one of the best catchers in the Majors to a six-year deal.

The Seattle Mariners have provided their fan base with a massive boost ahead of Thursday’s season opener at home to the Athletics. Referencing multiple sources, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com is reporting that the club are finalizing a six-year, $105 million extension with Cal Raleigh.

The contract is set to begin this season, buy out Raleigh’s next two years of arbitration eligibility and then three years after he would have been eligible for free agency. He receives full no-trade protection and there is a vesting option for the 2031 season, with Kramer adding that the deal breaks down as follows:

• Signing bonus: $10 million
• 2025: $1 million salary
• 2026: $11 million
• 2027: $12 million
• 2028: $23 million
• 2029: $23 million
• 2030: $23 million
• 2031: $20 million vesting player option (with $2 million buyout)

A change in agents set the stage for contract extension

This is clearly a tremendous situation for Raleigh, who earned $795K last year and had already agreed to a $5.6 million deal for 2025 to avoid arbitration. He was previously represented by Scott Boras, but left him during the offseason to join Excel Sports Management.

There is no denying this is an important move by the Mariners and a smart decision, following on from an offseason where the organization received plenty of criticism for their lack of significant signings. Fans will be hoping this leads the way for other players to follow suit and sign deals to remain in Seattle long-term, including Logan Gilbert, who has a close relationship with Raleigh.

The Mariners’ club house leader finally received recognition last year as one of the best catchers in the game, as he went on to receive his first ever Gold and Platinum Glove awards. Among other things, he led all Major League catchers with 26 catcher caught stealing and the AL with 13 framing runs.

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Raleigh already making history with the Mariners

Offensively, Raleigh is the first catcher to lead his position in homers for three consecutive seasons, since Mike Piazza achieved the feat in four straight years between 1999–2002. On the subject of Piazza, Raleigh reached 93 home runs in 2024, surpassing the Hall of Famer for most in MLB history by a catcher in their first four seasons.

No one works harder than the 28-year-old, which combined with his passion for the game, has a galvanizing impact on the rest of the players in Seattle. Now, the Mariners fan base can be happy in the knowledge that he will spend most — if not all — of his career in the Pacific Northwest.

There is no disputing that the Mariners made the right decision in signing Raleigh to a long-term deal. However, do you believe this will now open the door to getting some of the team’s other prominent players to agree to contract extensions and remain in Seattle? Let us know in the comments section below.