Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh and New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto have been named American League and National League Players of the Month for June, Major League Baseball announced Tuesday on MLB Network.
For both stars, it’s a first-time honor—and one rooted in historic performances.
Raleigh, 28, becomes the first Mariners player to win the award since Julio Rodríguez in August 2023 and the first catcher in either league to earn the monthly honor since 2016. Soto, 26, is the first Mets outfielder recognized since 1991, and just the second Met to win the award this season after Pete Alonso in March/April.
Raleigh hit .300 with 11 home runs, 27 RBI and a 1.088 OPS across 26 games, leading MLB in total bases (69) and extra-base hits (17), while tying for the league lead in home runs and RBI. He became the first catcher in Major League history to hit 33 home runs before the All-Star break, breaking Johnny Bench’s 1970 record. Raleigh’s seven games in June with multiple hits and multiple RBI were the most in the Majors.
Already voted the starting catcher for the AL All-Stars, Raleigh will also compete in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, becoming the eighth Mariner to do so. The 2024 Gold Glove winner is now Seattle’s first-ever fan-elected catcher and just the ninth player in club history to earn a fan election.
On the NL side, Soto batted .322 with 11 home runs, 20 RBI, and a 1.196 OPS. He led all of MLB in OPS and walks (25), while tying Raleigh for the home run lead. Soto also became the first Met since Darryl Strawberry in 1987 to notch 10 home runs and 20 walks in a single month. His OPS ranks second in Mets history for a calendar month, trailing only Strawberry’s June 1990 mark.
Soto’s June also included two multi-homer games, and on June 19, he tallied his 1,000th career hit, joining Mickey Mantle and Mel Ott as the only players with 1,000 hits and 700 walks before turning 27.
The month capped a string of milestones for the 2019 World Series champion, who now has 27 career multi-homer games, more than any player in history before age 27. He also tied Eddie Mathews for the most games with a homer and a walk before turning 27, with 106.
Both Raleigh and Soto are expected to be major draws at the 2025 All-Star Game on July 15 in Atlanta. Raleigh leads all MLB players in home runs, while Soto remains among the game’s most consistent offensive forces.
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