For every big swing and eye-popping home run, Cal Raleigh is building his case for something bigger. Chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" are growing louder in the Emerald City for Seattle's 28-year-old catcher as opposing spectators look away,

Raleigh is on pace to join Johnny Bench in 1974 and Joe Torre in 1970 as the only players whose primary position was catcher in MLB history to reach 700 plate appearances in a season, becoming too essential on both sides of the ball for the Mariners to rest him. Not that he’d want to, anyway.

If you don’t live in the Pacific Northwest, you’re likely only now becoming acquainted with the powerful stylings of Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Tucked all the way up in Seattle, Raleigh is no-longer quietly on pace for one of the greatest offensive seasons we’ve ever seen from a catcher,