Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has committed to playing for the United States in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, it was announced Monday.
Raleigh has an American League-record 38 homers before the All-Star Game this season -- one shy of Barry Bonds' 2001 major league record for homers before the break. He also joined Babe Ruth (1921), Reggie Jackson (1969) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1998) as players with at least 38 homers and 10 stolen bases in their team's first 96 games.
Welcome to Team USA, Cal Raleigh!
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) July 14, 2025
The current MLB home run leader has announced that he will play for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/RXb1okOmO0
The Mariners' slugger joins Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes as players who have committed to Team USA manager Mark DeRosa thus far.
Raleigh said he was approach by DeRosa in the last week.
"It was a no-brainer, right? I think I said yes before he got the question out of his mouth," Raleigh told ESPN at the All-Star Game media day availability on Monday. "I always said if it was ever on the table, I would take it in a heartbeat."
In addition to his 38 home runs, Raleigh has 82 RBIs and an 1.011 OPS in just 94 games this season. He's threatening to break Mickey Mantle's single-season home run record for a switch-hitter (54) and Ken Griffey Jr.'s franchise single-season home run record (56).
The team will be managed DeRosa, a former major leaguer, for the second consecutive tournament. Team USA lost to Japan in the championship game in 2023 as Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to end the game.
"Watching in 2023, it was such a treat for everybody," Raleigh said. "The whole world was tuning in, watching that Trout/Ohtani at-bat was something special. It was so good for the game of baseball. You want to win for your country, but for the baseball world, it's a win."
The World Baseball Classic will run March 5-17, 2026. Games will take place in Houston, Miami, Tokyo and San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the semifinals and championship game in Miami.
The U.S. will be with Britain, Brazil, Italy and Mexico in Group B of the first round at Houston's Minute Maid Park from March 6-11.
Team USA last won the World Baseball Classic in 2017.
ESPN's Jesse Rogers and The Associated Press contributed to this report.