The Seattle Mariners have a relatively short history, as they were founded in 1977. On top of that, they weren’t able to find success until 1991 when they posted their first winning record. Seattle had been previously the home to the current Milwaukee Brewers franchise, who were the Seattle Pilots for one season. The Mariners didn’t make the postseason until the 1995 season. That year, they won the American League West title after coming back from 11 1/2 games back with six games left to go in the regular season. They were then able to beat the odds again in the postseason. They took down the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series after falling down two games to none.
Seattle returned to the ALCS in 2000 but lost to the Yankees in six games. They then won an all-time record 116 games in 2001. That would be their last postseason appearance since. They currently hold the longest drought in any North American professional sport at 20 seasons. The Mariners are currently an up-and-coming team and could break that drought very soon.
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Starting Nine
Dan Wilson, C
Wilson was a member of the Mariners for 12 of his 14 big league seasons from 1994 to 2005. He was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Reds seventh overall in the 1990 draft. Seattle then acquired him and Bobby Ayala following the 1993 season for Erik Hanson and Bret Boone. His 1,281 innings behind the plate are more than any other Mariners player in history and he was a member of all the Mariners teams that made the playoffs. Wilson was an All-Star in 1996 and owns the franchise career record for home runs by a catcher (88) and single-season record for RBI for a catcher with 83 in 1996.
Alvin Davis, 1B
Nicknamed “Mr. Mariner”, Davis played his first eight of nine major league seasons in Seattle. He became the first Mariner to win a major award when he was named the 1984 Rookie of the Year, a year in which he was also an All-Star. That 1984 season, Davis slashed .284/.391/.497 with 27 homers and 116 RBI just two years after the Mariners drafted him in the sixth round of the 1982 draft. He finished his career in Seattle with a .281 average, .834 OPS, and 160 homers.
Bret Boone, 2B
The older brother of current Yankees manager Aaron Boone, Boone was drafted in the fifth round of the 1990 draft out of USC. He spent his first two big league seasons in Seattle before the Mariners traded him to the Reds in the 1993 trade for Wilson. It was only partial seasons, as he played in 109 total games. Of course, he wouldn’t be on this list if he never returned to Seattle. The Mariners signed him back following the 2000 season, where he would stay until the middle of the 2005 season when Seattle traded him to the Minnesota Twins.
Boone was an All-Star in 2001 and 2003, while he finished third in MVP voting following the 2001 season. That season, he led the league with 141 RBI while also mashing 37 homers with a 153 OPS+. The California native won two Silver Slugger awards and three Gold Gloves over his time with the Mariners.
Kyle Seager, 3B
The recently retired Seager was a career Mariner; he was a consistent player on both sides of the ball and a leader in the clubhouse. The Mariners drafted him in the third round of the 2009 draft out of the University of North Carolina. He only made one All-Star appearance, in 2014, over his 11 seasons in Seattle, but he rarely missed time due to injuries. The least amount of games Seager played during a normal season was 106 in 2019. He didn’t miss one game in the COVID-shortened 2020 season of 60 games. In his 11 seasons, Seager slashed .251/.321/.442 with 242 home runs, 112 OPS+, and amassed a 36.9 bWAR. His career-high for homers actually came in his final season of 2021, in which he smashed 35 bombs and drove in 101 runs.
Alex Rodriguez, SS
While he didn’t have his best seasons in Seattle, Rodriguez started his career there. He was drafted first overall in the 1993 MLB Draft out of Westminster Christian School in Miami, Florida, and made his major league debut in 1994 at age 18. The Dominican American went on to make his first three All-Star Games from 1996-98 and another in 2000. While he was a three-time MVP in his career, his best finish with the Mariners was a second-place finish in 1996, when he led the league with a .358 batting average, 54 doubles, and 141 runs scored. Rodriguez finished ninth in the voting in 1998 and third in 2000 while winning a Silver Slugger award four times while in Seattle. Following the 2000 season, he left for free agency and signed with the Texas Rangers.
Raul Ibanez, LF
The Mariners drafted Ibanez in the 36th round of the 1992 draft out of Miami Dade College, and he would make his debut in 1996. His rookie limits wouldn’t be exceeded until 1999 and his first stint with the team would end after the 2000 season. The New York native signed with the Kansas City Royals prior to the 2001 season and then returned to Seattle following the 2003 season. His second stint with the team was where he made his mark as a consistent bat in the lineup.
While he was never named an All-Star during his time with the Mariners, Ibanez never hit below .280 over the four years, 2004-08, he was there the second time and mashed at least 20 homers in the 2005-08 seasons. He played in all 162 games during the 2005 and 2008 seasons. Ibanez left for the Philadelphia Phillies in free agency following the 2008 season, where he would be for three seasons. After one season with the Yankees, he returned for one more season with the Mariners at age 41 in 2013. He earned MVP votes in the 2006 and 2008 seasons.
Ken Griffey Jr., CF
“The Kid”, “Junior”, “The Natural”. Those are the few nicknames that the great Griffey Jr. had and earned while playing the game the right way. He was the first overall pick in the 1987 draft by the Mariners and made his MLB debut two years later on Opening Day 1989. In a sign of greatness to come, Griffey doubled in his first big league at-bat off of Oakland A’s ace Dave Stewart. The following season, he and his dad, Ken Griffey Sr. teamed up on the Mariners to become the first father-son combo to play in the majors at the same time. A special moment occurred on September 14, 1990, when they hit back-to-back homers.
The 1990 season was Junior’s first season as an All-Star and he won his first Gold Glove award while hitting .300 and smashing 22 homers. That wound up being his first of 11 straight All-Star selections and 14 overall (10 with the Mariners. He also won 10 Gold Glove awards and seven Silver Slugger awards, all with Seattle.
Griffey had six seasons of 40-plus homers with the Mariners, including leading the league four times. His highest total was 56 in back-to-back seasons, 1997 and 1998. He took home the AL MVP award in 1997, in which he also lead the league in RBI (147), runs (125), slugging (.646), total bases (393), and intentional walks (23). The Kid left for his hometown Cincinnati Reds following the 1999 season, where he would stay for nine seasons. Then after a brief stint with the Chicago White Sox in 2008 after being traded from Cincinnati, he would return to Seattle for his final two seasons and retire at age 40. Griffey was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016 with 99.32 percent of the vote.
Ichiro Suzuki, RF
After nine seasons with the Orix BlueWave of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, the Mariners signed Ichiro prior to the 2001 season. He took the league by storm during his rookie season. He won the AL MVP and Rookie of the Year while leading the league with a .350 average, 56 stolen bases, and 242 hits. That year was his first of 10 straight All-Star selections. He also won his first of 10 Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers. Suzuki never hit for much power, but he was an on-base machine and was rarely not on the field.
During his first 14 seasons in which he played for the Mariners, 146 games were the least amount of games he played in. He led the league in hits six other times and won the batting title again in 2004 with a .372 average. The Japanese-born star had his highest on-base percentage in 2004 when he got on base at an insane .414 clip. He also stole over 30 bases in 10 seasons and at least 40 bases in five seasons.
Ichiro was traded to the Yankees during the 2012 season. He then joined the Miami Marlins after the 2014 season. Then he rejoined the Mariners for his final two seasons of 2018 and 2019. He retired at age 45 after playing two games to start the 2019 season. When he becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2025, he has a great shot of becoming the second unanimous selection after Derek Jeter.
Edgar Martinez, DH
One of the greatest, if not the greatest designated hitter of all time, Martinez spent his entire 18-year career with the Mariners. They signed him as an undrafted free agent in 1992. He only signed for a $4,000 bonus and the rest is history. He made his debut in 1987 but didn’t stick up in the majors until 1990. The Puerto Rican became Seattle’s starting third baseman that season and he hit over .300 in each of his first two years. Then in 1992, he took home the AL batting title with a .343 average while leading the league with 46 doubles.
After tearing a muscle in his left knee during a spring training game in 1993, Martinez only played in 42 games. In 1994, he would start transitioning into a DH and become full-time in 1995. At the age of 32, he won his second batting title (.356) while also leading the league in games (145), runs (121), doubles (52), on-base percentage (.479), OPS (1.107), and OPS+ (185).
Then he would live in glory as he catapulted the Mariners over the Yankees in Game 5 of the 1995 ALDS with a two-run double in the 11th inning that scored Joey Cora and Ken Griffey Jr. It was the hit that sent Seattle to their first ALCS in franchise history. In 2000, Martinez led the AL with 145 RBI and then powered the Mariners to 116 wins in 2001. He was the winner of the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award five times, and the award was then renamed the Edgar Martinez Award. He was a seven-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger. Martinez retired after the 2004 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 after 10 long years on the ballot.
Starting Rotation
Randy Johnson, LHP
The Big Unit was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the second round of the 1985 draft and he made his debut in 1988. At 6’10”, Johnson became the tallest player in major league history. In the middle of the 1989 season, the Expos traded him to the Mariners for southpaw Mark Langston. He was an All-Star in 1990 but struggled to find his control as he led the league in walks his first three years in Seattle. But once he found his control, he became one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. He led the majors in strikeouts in 1993-95 and made the All-Star Game all three years.
Johnson was top three in Cy Young voting four times, including winning the award in 1995 with 294 strikeouts, 2.08 FIP, and 12.3 strikeouts per nine. He was an All-Star again in 1997 before being traded to the Houston Astros at the deadline in 1998. Johnson retired at age 45 with the San Francisco Giants after 22 major league seasons. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 with an Arizona Diamondbacks cap on his plaque.
Felix Hernandez, RHP
The Mariners signed Hernandez in July 2004 out of Venezuala and he made his debut in 2005 at age 19. He made his first All-Star Game in 2009 when he led the league with 19 wins. In 2010, he won the NL Cy Young as he led the league with a 2.27 ERA, 7.2 bWAR for pitchers, 34 starts, and 249 2/3 innings. He was an All-Star five years in a row from 2011-15 and was top ten in Cy Young voting the last four. Hernandez was dominant for about six or seven years before he started to fall off. King Felix granted free agency in 2019 and signed with the Atlanta Braves. He has not officially retired yet despite not pitching in a game since 2019.
Jamie Moyer, LHP
Of his 25 big league seasons, Moyer spent the most time in Seattle, where he was for 11 years. He made his lone All-Star Game in 2003 at age 40 in which he held a 3.27 ERA and struck out 129. Moyer was never all too dominant, but the longevity was impressive. Overall, he went 145-87 with a 3.97 ERA, 20 complete games (six shutouts), and 1,239 strikeouts over his time in Seattle. He retired at age 49 in 2012 as a member of the Colorado Rockies.
Freddy Garcia, RHP
Garcia spent his first six MLB seasons with the Mariners after they acquired him at the deadline in 1998. He was runner-up to the AL Rookie of the Year in 1999 after he went 17-8 with a 4.07 ERA and 170 strikeouts. His lone All-Star Games came in 2001 and 2002, and he led the AL with a 3.05 ERA and 238 2/3 innings in 2001. That year he finished third in AL Cy Young voting. The Mariners traded Garcia to the Chicago White Sox prior to the deadline in 2004.
Hisashi Iwakuma, RHP
Signed out of Japan in 2012, Iwakuma had six years in the majors, all with the Mariners. He made one All-Star Game, in 2013, and led all AL pitchers with a 7.0 bWAR. He was second in the AL with a 1.006 WHIP in 2013 and overall he recorded a 3.42 ERA in six seasons.
Bullpen
Edwin Diaz, RHP
The Mariners drafted Diaz in the third round of the 2012 draft out of Caguas Military Academy in Puerto Rico. He made his debut in 2016 when he finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting. That season, the right-hander posted a 2.79 ERA, 2.04 FIP, and 88 to 15 strikeout to walk ratio. Diaz was an All-Star in 2018 while he posted a 1.96 ERA and led the league with 57 saves in 73 1/3 innings. He also struck out 124 to just 17 walks.
Kazuhiro Sasaki, RHP
After 10 years in the NPB, Sasaki was signed by the Mariners after the 1999 season. At age 32 in 2000, the right-hander won the AL Rookie of the Year after posting a 3.16 ERA and 37 saves in 62 2/3 innings. He made two straight All-Star Games in 2001 and 2002. After the 2003 season, Sasaki went back to the NBP, where he finished his professional career.
Jeff Nelson, RHP
After originally being drafted by the Dodgers in the 1984 draft, Nelson was taken by the Mariners in the minor league phase of the 1986 Rule 5 draft. He made his debut in 1992 with the Mariners and spend his first four years with them. After the 1995 season, the Mariners traded Nelson to the Yankees along with Tino Martinez and Jim Mecir, for Russ Davis and Sterling Hitchcock. He spent the next five years with the Yankees while helping them win four World Series titles. Then testing free agency for the first time in 2000, he signed back with the Mariners. His first year back, he made his lone All-Star Game while posting a 2.76 ERA and 12.1 strikeouts per nine.
J.J. Putz, RHP
Putz was drafted in the sixth round of the 1999 draft and made his debut with the Mariners in 2003. He would spend his first six years in Seattle, where he would make his lone All-Star Game in 2007. That season, he posted a 1.38 ERA, 0.698 WHIP, and 82 to 13 strikeout to walk ratio over 71 2/3 innings. He also received MVP votes, finishing in 13th place for the AL MVP.
Arthur Rhodes, RHP
Drafted by the Orioles in the second round of the 1988 draft, Rhodes signed with the Mariners in the 1999 offseason. Of his five seasons with the ball club, 2001 was his best year. That year, he posted a 1.72 ERA, 0.853 WHIP, and 83 strikeouts to 12 walks over 68 innings in 71 appearances. Overall, Rhodes posted a 3.05 ERA, 2.62 FIP, and a 315 to 85 strikeout to walk rate in the five seasons.
Mike Schooler, RHP
Although he pitched in the big leagues for six seasons – five with the Mariners – Schooler was one of their more consistent relievers over that time. He was drafted in the second round of the 1985 draft out of California State University, Fullerton, and made his debut in 1998. After posting a 3.54 ERA, 3.16 FIP, 15 saves, and 54 strikeouts to 24 walks in 48 1/3 innings his rookie year, he finished seventh in AL Rookie of the Year voting. The next two seasons, he posted 33 and 30 saves, respectively, and recorded a 170 ERA+ in 1990.
Michael Jackson, RHP
No, not that one. This Michael Jackson was traded to the Mariners following the 1987 season after he had been drafted by the Phillies in the 1984 draft. Over his first two seasons with the Mariners, Jackson compiled a 2.90 ERA and 143.5 ERA+ over 198 2/3 innings. After four seasons with Seattle, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants following the 1991 season. He returned to Seattle in 1996, where he put up a 3.63 ERA in 73 appearances.
Bench
Omar Vizquel, SS
While he’s more known for his time in Cleveland, Vizquel started his major league career with the Mariners. He made his debut in 1989 after they signed in 1984 and spent five seasons there. The Venezualan-born shortstop won his first of 11 career Gold Gloves his final season in Seattle of 1993. He was second in the AL for defensive WAR in both the 1991 (2.3) and 1993 (2.5) seasons. Vizquel was also first in total zone runs for a shortstop in 1992 with 13, and first with a 5.13 range factor per nine innings for shortstops. Following the 1993 season, the Mariners traded him to Cleveland.
Robinson Cano, 2B
After nine very good seasons with the Yankees, Cano signed with the Mariners after the 2013 season for a 10-year, $240 million contract. He made his sixth, seventh, and eighth All-Star Games with Seattle and finished fifth in AL MVP voting in 2014 and eighth in 2016. In the 2018 season, he was suspended for 80 games for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Following the season, the Mariners traded Cano to the Mets along with Diaz for five players, including top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn.
Nelson Cruz, DH/RF
Signed by the New York Mets as an undrafted free agent in 1998, Cruz signed with the Mariners before the 2015 season. He spent four seasons with the Mariners, where he made his fourth, fifth, and sixth All-Star Games while mashing at least 39 taters. His 119 RBI in 2017 led the AL, and following the 2018 season, he walked to free agency again.
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Even though his best years weren’t in Seattle, Beltre was still a solid player for the five years he was there. Originally signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1994, he signed with the Mariners in free agency prior to the 2005 season. Beltre was a defensive wiz at third base and he won two Gold Gloves with the Mariners. He was first in the AL with a 3.1 defensive WAR in 2008 and first with 272 assists at third base. He was also first in the AL with the least amount of errors at third in 2007 (18).
John Olerud, 1B
Originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the third round of the 1989 draft, Olerud signed with the Mariners following the 1999 season. In his four and a half years there from 2000 to the middle of the 2004 season, he won three Gold Gloves and made his second All-Star Game in 2001. The Washington State University alum was a key cog for the Mariners’ postseason runs in 2000 and 2001. He hit .285 with an .831 OPS and 103 RBI during the 2000 regular season. Then in the postseason, Olerud hit .333 over the Division Series and Championship Series while mashing two homers. He didn’t do so well in the 2001 postseason but did hit over .300 and mashed 21 homers in the regular season. Olerud also walked more than he struck out. He walked 418 times to 340 strikeouts during his time in Seattle.
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