Is now the time to try and extend Mariners' star catcher Cal Raleigh?

Cal Raleigh: Off the field

Cal's reach extends beyond the field here in Seattle. After the disappointing end to the 2023 season, Cal took ownership of the team coming up just short.

“It was tough. It was a tough pill to swallow because all the guys in that clubhouse, they put their heart and soul into it. They sacrifice so much every day … and to come up one game short, two games short, it really hurts. It hurts everybody, the fans included. It stinks. And it’s something that we have to remember this offseason and we have to try to make those adjustments. As players and leaders in this clubhouse, we have to get better. We understand that we need to take the next step.”

He has also made comments about the front office at the end of the 2023 season as well: “I think we’ve done a great job of growing some players here and within the farm system, but sometimes you got to go out and you have to buy and that’s just the name of the game,” Raleigh said. “We’ll see what happens this offseason, hopefully we can add some players and become a better team.” He isn't wrong here. Cal is a leader in the clubhouse, especially after Dipoto and Hollander traded away other leaders in the offseason.

Earlier this year, the Mariners celebrated the 25th anniversary of "Buhner buzz cut night" by bringing the promotion back. If you come and shave your head before the game, you got a free ticket to the game. One current Mariner volunteered to get his head shaved by The Bone himself. Who was it? Cal Raleigh. When Mariners manager Scott Servais was asked about it, he summed it up in just three words. "He's a Mariner".

Will the Mariners sign Cal Raleigh to an extension?

It is going to be tough. We all know that Cal is a Scott Boras client, and Boras does not like to sign extensions. Typically, Boras clients make their way to free agency to get the most money possible, which is great. These guys should go get their bag. You never know what game will be your last, so make all the money you can while you can.

The only positive thing in the Mariners favor when it comes to a Raleigh extension is how Scott Boras handled this last offseason with the "Boras 5". Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, J.D. Martinez, and Matt Chapman were all expected to make sign big deals. Some of these guys did not even sign until Spring Training or well after Spring Training had begun, and none of them signed what they were projected to sign for. While projections are just that, projections, Scott Boras came out of the 2023 offseason with egg on his face. Could that happen with Cal Raleigh? Who knows.

What would an extension look like for Cal Raleigh?

Should Cal make it to free agency, and give the same level of production he has given throughout his career, he very well could be the highest paid catcher in baseball. Right now, the highest paid catcher is the Philidelphia Phillies catchet J.T. Realmuto at $23.1M. Then Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals at $20.5M, and it trickles down from there.

As of writing this, the Mariners only have roughly $104M committed to the 2025 payroll. Signing Cal to a $20-25M per year deal would not break the bank for ownership. The only player making more than $20M a season is Luis Castillo at $24.15M, then it is Julio Rodriguez at $19.912M. Should Cal be in the ballpark of 20-25M on a 5-6 year deal, the Mariners have to make that happen. Maybe he would get more in free agency, but maybe he doesn't. Cal is a perfect fit for the Mariners, warts and all. In another market, maybe he is not as valuable. Either way, the Mariners need to make sure Cal is a Mariner for life.

As always, Go Mariners!