Mariners' Raleigh in historic company after reaching 30 HRs before July

It's only June, and Cal Raleigh may already own the most prolific power-hitting season ever for a catcher.

Raleigh became the first player to reach 30 home runs this season when he crushed a solo shot late in the Seattle Mariners' 10-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs. The blast gave him 30 homers in a third straight season, and put him in all kinds of historic company.

Raleigh joins Hall of Famers Mike Piazza, Johnny Bench, and Roy Campanella as the only primary catchers with at least three 30-homer campaigns, per Stathead. Piazza did it a record nine times, while Bench and Campanella each reached the plateau on four occasions. Of the four catchers, only Raleigh and Piazza (eight straight seasons) managed the feat in consecutive campaigns.

He's also the first switch-hitter ever to reach 30 homers before the All-Star break, and he did it with three weeks to spare. Only four other switch-hitters - José Ramírez in 2018, Lance Berkman in 2002, and Mickey Mantle in 1956 and '61 - have ever hit 29 before the break.

Finally, Raleigh is the first player to reach 30 homers within his team's first 75 games since 2001, when the D-Backs' Luis Gonzalez and the Giants' Barry Bonds both did it, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com. Bonds also set the single-season record with 73 that year.

On Friday, Raleigh broke Bench's pre-break home-run record for catchers during a two-homer performance at Wrigley Field.

Next up for "Big Dumper" is the 40-homer mark, a total reached just eight times by primary catchers. The single-season record for catchers is 48, set by Kansas City's Salvador Perez in 2021.

Raleigh, 28, is now hitting .272/.377/.649 with 64 RBI, 44 extra-base hits, and 52 runs scored in 74 games this season. He and Ken Griffey Jr. are the only Mariners players to reach 30 homers before the break.