Cal Raleigh knew his destiny.
The Seattle Mariners' superstar catcher, who leads Major League Baseball in home runs and will partake in the Home Run Derby next week in Atlanta, saw this coming.
MLB.com's Daniel Kramer shared a video on X of Raleigh when he was 8 years old, predicting that he'd be a Home Run Derby champ.
Here it is, and yes, it's adorable:
When Cal Raleigh says he has childhood memories dreaming of growing up and competing in the Home Run Derby, he really means it.
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) July 7, 2025
📽️ ⚾️Video evidence circa 20 years ago, when Cal was only 8-years-old (shared via his dad, Todd, who will be throwing to him in Atlanta): pic.twitter.com/ABtKaXVC6Q
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Raleigh, with absurd natural power as a big, strong dude, will be one of the favorites in Atlanta.
His dad, Todd, will throw to him, which makes it that much cooler.
It's been a storybook season for Raleigh, who is on track to crush every home run hitting catcher record out there and will have an outside shot of chasing the American League home run record, too.
Raleigh begins the week before the All-Star break with 35 home runs. That's already a career high.
Every part of this Raleigh season has been special so far, and his presence in the Home Run Derby will just add to the incredible ride.
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