Ex-Rockies GM heaps praise on Mariners' $105M move as catcher joins Julio Rodriguez, Luis Castillo with big-money contracts

Ex-Rockies GM-turned-MLB analyst Dan O'Dowd sounded off on the Seattle Mariners agreeing a contract extension with Gold Glove-winning catcher Cal Raleigh. O'Dowd praised the backstop's consistency, durability and ability to handle one of the league's best pitching crews.

Raleigh is set to receive a six-year, $105 million deal that effectively buys out three years of free agency with a full no-trade clause. He now joins star Julio Rodriguez and Luis Castillo as the only three players from the team to carry $100M contracts.

On Tuesday's episode of MLB Network's "MLB Tonight," O'Dowd said:

"He's catching arguably one of the best starting rotations in the game. It has a lot to do with being a consistent presence behind home plate." (1:03)

O'Dowd praised the Seattle Mariners organization for being one of the best teams in the league when it comes to nurturing talent.

"If you look at what the Mariners have done, they haven't added a ton of talent from outside of the organization from a monetary commitment," O'Dowd said. "But they've committed to their core group of players." (1:40)

Dan O'Dowd praises Mariners' Cal Raleigh

In the same episode, Dan O'Dowd named Cal Raleigh one of the top five catchers in the game today.

"He is [one of the top five catchers]," O'Dowd said. "I think he's in a different time zone. But I think if [he plays] back in the East Coast, he will get more love than what he actually gets in the game. He's a really good player." (2:17)

The former Rockies general manager also noted Raleigh's ability to keep a level-head in the game.

"You want a mentally stable individual behind the plate," O'Dowd said. "You want someone who brings a sense of calmness to the team. I think he does that. He's an integral part of Seattle." (2:30)

Raleigh smashed 34 home runs and drove in 100 runs last year. He has only missed 26 games since the 2023 MLB season. In addition to the impressive offensive statistics and durability, Raleigh has also compiled a +33 defensive runs stat line in the past three years as a backstop for Seattle.

He will now be tasked to maintain the momentum he has built up in recent years as he remains the primary battery partner for the likes of All-Star Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller, Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo and George Kirby.