When a young catcher earns a beloved stadium nickname that resonates deeply with the whole region, it's clear he’s doing something truly exceptional behind the plate. Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the third round of the 2018 amateur draft from Florida State University, Cal Raleigh didn't just make his way up the minor league ladder—he quickly became a cornerstone for both his physical presence and his defensive skills on the active roster. Popular among Pacific Northwest fans as "Big Dumper”, a playful nickname that's become a proud symbol of local admiration, Raleigh combines impressive resilience behind the plate with a powerful, high-speed batting style that has set new standards for offensive defense.

His debut in the big leagues in 2021 was quite a learning experience offensively, but he really proved himself during an exciting 2022 season. Raleigh made clutch hitting a key part of his game, smashing 27 home runs, including a memorable walk-off shot in late September that helped send the Mariners to the postseason for the first time in over twenty years.

He had an impressive rise into the 2023 and 2024 seasons, solidifying his spot in the middle of the batting order with 30 and 34 home runs respectively. He also drove in 100 runs in 2024, establishing himself as the top power hitter at his position in the American League. However, trying to gauge his defensive skills just through basic box scores doesn't do justice to his multi-dimensional value. Raleigh is a fantastic defensive leader for his pitching staff, combining excellent pitch-framing skills with a strong throwing arm that makes a big difference in controlling the running game. His consistent ability to shut down opposing baserunners earned him a well-deserved Gold Glove Award and a prestigious Platinum Glove in 2024, showcasing him as the gold standard of defensive play in the league.

What has fundamentally transformed his career in franchise history is the remarkable, historic performance he delivered during the 2025 season. Raleigh demonstrated an exemplary offensive display that exceeded contemporary standards, prompting historians to revise the record books. The switch-hitting superstar overwhelmingly dominated major league pitching, hitting an extraordinary 60 home runs, leading the league, and driving in an American League-best 125 runs over 159 games. His 60 home runs set a new, monumental all-time Major League record for the most home runs in a single season by a primary catcher, surpassing Salvador Pérez, while also surpassing Mickey Mantle for the most home runs by a switch-hitter in a single season. 

Naturally, this achievement, recognized with official awards, commanded great national admiration. He utilized his disciplined approach at the plate to draw 97 bases on balls and score 110 runs, demonstrating a remarkable .247/.359/589 slash line and a superb .948 OPS. His versatile impact contributed to a remarkable 7.2 bWAR, earning him his first career All-Star selection, a Silver Slugger Award, an All-MLB First Team honor, and a notable second-place finish in the American League Most Valuable Player voting, behind only Aaron Judge.

Now actively stepping into the current 2026 campaign, the 29-year-old superstar functions as an elite vanguard of the sport and a legitimate franchise icon.

With a towering 6-foot-6 height, an exceptionally deep release extension, and one of the largest hands in professional baseball, Logan Gilbert seems almost engineered to excel against modern MLB lineups. Drafted 14th overall by the Seattle Mariners in the first round of the 2018 amateur draft from Stetson University, this imposing right-hander quickly advanced through the minor leagues. By May 2021, he secured a permanent place in the major league rotation, bringing intense competitiveness and a high-velocity arsenal that quickly made him a key figure in the franchise’s pitching core.

Gilbert’s early years in the Emerald City were marked by quick adaptation and outstanding durability. After a 6–5 rookie season, he made a significant developmental jump in 2022, leveraging a fiery four-seam fastball to achieve a 13–6 record with a 3.20 ERA. His consistent performance under pressure was crucial to a historic team that ended Seattle's 21-year postseason drought. He confirmed his breakthrough with another 13-win season in 2023, becoming one of the most dependable young pitchers in the American League.

His standout achievement in efficiency came during a remarkable 2024 season, where he played at a top-tier superstar level. Despite a weak offensive team that resulted in a 9–12 record, Gilbert was virtually unhittable. He led the majors with 208.2 innings pitched and had an outstanding 0.887 WHIP, the best in baseball. His skill in handling critical moments earned him his first All-Star selection and a sixth-place finish in the American League Cy Young Award voting.

Gilbert, the Mariners' undisputed Opening Day starter, faced a challenging 2025 season after a right elbow flexor strain sidelined him for seven weeks during spring training. Upon returning in mid-June, the tall right-hander adapted his pitching approach, trading some endurance for a more aggressive, high-strikeout style. He relied on an elite, missing-barrel splitter and a career-high 35.3% slider usage, enabling him to strike out a career-best 32.3% of batters—a feat highlighted by a seven-inning, 13-strikeout performance against Oakland on August 24. He finished the regular season with a 6–6 record, a 3.44 ERA, and 173 strikeouts in 131 innings. He carried this momentum into October, earning a key victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 3 of the ALDS, helping Seattle’s deep postseason run.

Heading into 2026, Gilbert might still be ahead of him.

1975 SEMI-FINAL RESULTS:

Thank you for all of your participation in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project. If you are unaware of what that is, we acted like the PFHOF had its first class in January 1946.

We have completed the years up to 1974.

For “1975,” a Preliminary Vote with nearly 100 players whose playing career ended by 1969. We are also following the structure in that players have 20 years of eligibility, and if they do not make it into the Hall, they are relegated to the Senior Pool.

Each voter was asked to select 25 names from the preliminary list, and the top 25 vote-getters were named Semi-Finalists.

A week later, the voters were asked to pick 15 names from the 25 Semi-Finalists, and next week, they will pick five from the remaining 15. We will continue this process weekly until we catch up to the current year.

31 Votes took place, with the top fifteen advancing.

This is for the “Modern Era”

Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals: 

This is for the “Senior Era”

*Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals:

This is for the “Coaches/Contributors Era”

*Bold indicates they advanced to the Finals:

We will post the Class of the 1975 Pro Football Hall of Fame Revisited Project next Saturday. 

Thank you to all who contributed. If you want to be part of this project, please let us know!

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 St. Louis Cardinals.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Please note that our algorithm has changed, which yielded minor changes throughout the baseball lists.

Last year, the Cardinals won 83 Games, but did not make the playoffs.  The rebuilding squad saw minimal movement in the top 50, and the only new entrant was based on the new algorithm.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes

1. Stan Musial

2. Albert Pujols

3. Rogers Hornsby

4. Bob Gibson

5. Ozzie Smith

You can find the entire list here.

The only new addition was Ripper Collins, who as discussed above, enters via the new system.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.