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Most home runs by a catcher: Where Cal Raleigh’s 2025 HR total ranks compared to MLB record

Cal Raleigh’s 2025 campaign has been one of the best seasons in MLB history, especially considering his position.

The Mariners catcher has already surpassed 40 home runs on the season, leading all MLB players this year in the category. While that is impressive in of itself, he has produced that much power while catching almost every day and trying to help maximize one of the best pitching staffs in the game.

Typically, catcher is a defense-first position, with most catchers focusing on their work behind-the-plate compared to their offense. Therefore, this kind of power out of the position is rare compared to others, giving Raleigh a chance to stamp his name in the MLB record-books.

Here’s a look at the primary catchers who hit the most home runs in MLB history.

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1. Salvador Perez, 48, Royals (2021)

In 2021, Salvador Perez exploded with 48 home runs to set the record for most homers by a catcher in a single-season. He broke Johnny Bench’s previous record, which stood for 51 years, and capped off a career-season by tying the Royals’ franchise home run record as well.

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T-2. Johnny Bench, 45, Reds (1970)

Johnny Bench

For a while it seemed like Johnny Bench’s record of 45 home runs would stand as the most ever by a catcher. The Reds Hall of Famer set the record in 1970 on his way to winning his first of two MVP awards, producing not just 45 home runs but also 148 RBIs, which would both lead the league and turn out to be career-highs.

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T-2. Cal Raleigh, 45, Mariners (2025)

Cal Raleigh

Cal Raleigh is not only on pace to break Salvador Perez’s record, he is likely to do so with ease. The Mariners catcher is tied for the second-most home runs by a catcher in MLB history, and he will probably set multiple records before season’s end. Already, Raleigh passed Johnny Bench for most homers by a catcher before the All-Star break.

He tied Bench with a solo shot against the Rays.

MORE: The list of most home runs ever hit before the MLB All-Star break

4. Javy Lopez, 43, Braves (2003)

Javy Lopez

In the late-1990s and early-2000s, Javy Lopez was one of the better catchers in the league, but his career-best season came as a 32-year-old in 2003 with the Braves. Lopez slugged 43 homers, which was nine more than his previous career-high and only the second time he surpassed 30 in his career. However, Lopez did set the record of most home runs in games while playing catcher, as opposed to pinch-hitting or serving as DH, with 42.

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5-T. Roy Campanella, 41, Dodgers (1953)

Roy Campanella

The first catcher to ever surpass 40 homers in a season was Roy Campanella, who did so in 1953. On his way to winning his second of three MVP awards, Campanella hit 41 homers with a league-leading 142 RBIs for the Brooklyn Dodgers, which would set the record for 17 years until Johnny Bench broke it.

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5-T. Todd Hundley, 41, Mets (1996)

Todd Hundley

In 1996 at the age of 27, Todd Hundley hit a shocking 41 home runs for the Mets, which was 25 more than his previous career-high. Hundley made the first of two career All-Star appearances and set the Mets single-season record, which would stand for 10 years until Carlos Beltran tied it and 23 years until Pete Alonso broke it.

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7-T. Johnny Bench, 40, Reds (1972)

Johnny Bench

Two years after he hit 45 home runs, Johnny Bench reached the 40 home-run mark again in 1972, which helped him win his second MVP award. In doing so, Bench became the first catcher in MLB history to hit 40 home runs twice in his career, and he was alone on that list for 27 years.

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7-T. Mike Piazza, 40, Dodgers (1997)

Mike Piazza

Mike Piazza is known as one of the best-hitting catchers in MLB history, which was highlighted by his prime from 1993 to 2002 when he hit at least 30 home runs nine times in 10 seasons. In 1997, during his final full season with the Dodgers, Piazza cracked 40 home runs for the first time in his career while totaling a career-high .362 batting average and finishing second in MVP voting.

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7-T. Mike Piazza, 40, Mets (1999)

Mike Piazza

After the Dodgers traded Piazza to the Marlins during the 1998 season, Florida flipped the catcher to the Mets where he would continue his success. In his first full season as a Met, Piazza had his second 40-homer campaign and came one home run short of Todd Hundley’s franchise record. Piazza also produced 124 RBIs, which tied his career-high from 1997.

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