Returning to Seattle as the Mariners in 1977, the franchise has had a mostly tough 50 years. Although they lack the pedigree of success and longevity of teams like the St. Louis Cardinals or the New York Yankees, the Mariners have had good times and exceptional players. Currently, the Mariners technically have two-and-a-half members in the Hall. Three-and-a-half when newly elected Ichiro Suzuki enters this summer, so we’ll include him in this list. But more on the half later.
Ranking Seattle Mariners Hall of Famers
Despite a low number of Hall of Famers by some accounts, the Mariners have had many Hall of Famers grace their lineups over the years. Adrian Beltre spent five solid seasons with the Mariners where he hit .266 with 103 home runs, Gaylord Perry was with Seattle for a rather unremarkable season-and-a-half, making 48 starts with a 4.58 ERA, in his defense he was 43, and at the very end of his career. Rich Gossage spent his age 42 season with Seattle, pitching a 4.18 ERA in 36 starts.
Not to mention the stolen base king, Rickey Henderson, who chalked up 30 swiped bags. Going beyond official members of the Hall even, you’ve got the always controversial Alex Rodriguez, who started his career in Seattle, prospective Hall of Famer Felix Hernandez, and most likely would be a Hall of Famer when the time came if not for his PED suspension, Robinson Cano.
But with that being said, you’ll notice some names that aren’t on the list. Mariners Hall of Fame inductees Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Ichiro Suzuki, and… Randy Johnson?
4. Ichiro Suzuki
It really hurts to put someone with Ichiro’s cultural significance this low. Growing up in Seattle at that time, every kid used to mimic his iconic batting routine. The only Mariner in the Hall to surpass 3,000 hits, he’s also the only Mariner to win Rookie of the Year and American League MVP in the same season. Coming to Seattle from Japan in his age 27 season, the timeless Ichiro then went on to spend 11.5 seasons in Seattle. He was an All-Star and Rawlings Gold Glove winner in 10 of those.
He led the league in hits seven times and won two Batting Titles in 2001, where he hit .350, and in 2004, hitting .372. In that same 2004 season, he broke the single season record for hits with 272.
In 2012, Ichiro was traded to the New York Yankees. A player of Ichiro’s caliber should be winning at least one ring, and the Mariners recognized they were in no position to do so. After spending six seasons with the Yankees and Miami Marlins, Ichiro returned to Seattle as a free agent in 2018. He played 17 games with Seattle in 2018 and 2019, largely so that he could play in front of a Japanese audience when the Mariners returned to Japan and retired as a Mariner.
A forever influential character who still spends almost every game day with the Mariners players, Ichiro is truly a Seattle icon.
Time with Seattle: 2001-2011, 2018-2019
Final career stats: 60 WAR | 3,089 Hits | 117 HRs | .311 AVG | 780 RBI
3. Edgar Martinez
Edgar Martinez spent his entire career with the Mariners. He was largely the best pure hitter on some of the greatest teams the Mariners have ever seen. Some of the greatest baseball has ever seen, for that matter. Martinez might be the best pure hitter the Mariners have ever had.
From 1990 through 2001, some of the most successful years in Mariners history, Martinez put up at least four-and-a-half WAR in 10 of the 12 seasons, and in 1994 when he put up 3.1, he only played in 89 games. His career high came in 1995 when he put up 7.0 WAR and hit .356 with 29 home runs and 113 RBI.
From 1995-1998, he had four straight seasons with 100+ RBI. 1999 he had 86, but he led the league with 145 in 2000. Martinez was a seven-time All-Star, garnering MVP votes five times, even finishing third in 1995 voting. He won his second of four Silver Sluggers and second Batting Title that year.
1995 was his career year. He led the league in doubles (52), AVG (.356), OBP (.479), OPS (1.107), OPS+ (185), rOBA (.473), Rbat+ (187), runs (121), and games (145). That year, he put up a 7.0 WAR while only striking out 87 times in 639 plate appearances. Martinez cemented himself in the heart of the Mariners order as one of the Seattle greats.
Time with Seattle: 1987-2004
Final career stats: 68.4 WAR | 2,247 Hits | 309 HRs | .312 AVG | 1,261 RBI
2.5 Randy Johnson
The reason Johnson is 2.5, is that he was initially inducted as an Arizona Diamondback in 2015. On his plaque, his hat remains an Arizona hat. But, according to the Baseball Hall website, his primary team is the Seattle Mariners, and his picture is him in a Mariners uniform.
Inducted into the Mariners own Hall of Fame in 2012, Johnson is not recognized by the Mariners as one of their Cooperstown representatives. Johnson had a tumultuous end to his time in Seattle, which no doubt contributes to that (not to mention his success like a World Series and four consecutive Cy Young awards in Arizona).
One of the iconic Mariners of the 1990s, Johnson made his breakthrough with Seattle as a 25-year-old. His best years with them started in 1993, when he had an ERA of less than 3.70 until 1998. 1995 was his first monster breakout season. While he had great years in 1993 and 1994, ’95 was when he became the ‘Big Unit.’ Johnson put up 8.6 WAR in 30 starts with an ERA of 2.48. He led the league in strikeouts for the fourth consecutive season with 294. He also had a career-best home runs per nine innings of 0.5.
Johnson was an All-Star five times with Seattle; he finished in the top three in Cy Young voting four times, winning it in 1995. He also received MVP votes in ’93, ’95, and ’97. Overall, Johnson won five Cy Young awards, was an All-Star 10 times, won an ERA title four times, and won the 2001 World Series and was the World Series MVP.
Time with Seattle: 1989-1998
Final Career Stats: 101.1 WAR | 303 Wins | 3.29 ERA | 4,875 SO
1. Ken Griffey Jr.
One of the most iconic players to ever dawn a Major League uniform, certainly the most to wear a Seattle uniform. Griffey is the epitome of Seattle baseball—one of two Mariners robbed of a unanimous HOF ballot. Griffey was universally loved and adored by his peers and fans alike.
Catapulting the Mariners to the limelight, Griffey took baseball by storm with his backward hat and swagger around the diamond.
From 1989 to 1999, Griffey went his entire Mariners career without putting up less than 3.3 WAR, even with only playing 72 games in 1995. At 26, he put up his career-high 9.7 WAR, already the third time he’d surpassed 7.0 WAR. He hit 49 home runs, which was the most of his career at the time. It was the third time he at least reached the 40-home run mark. From 1996-2000 he’d hit 49, 56, 56, 48, and 40 home runs.
In 1989, Griffey finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. Starting in 1990, Griffey would be an All-Star every year for the next decade. He also won the Gold Glove award every season. He won a Silver Slugger in seven seasons and an MVP in 1997.
During his MVP season, he led the league with 9.1 WAR, 125 runs, 56 home runs, 147 RBI, a .646 SLG, 393 total bases, and 23 intentional walks.
Griffey is the greatest player the Mariners have ever seen, and he will be for a very long time.
Time with Seattle: 1989-1999, 2009-2010
Total career stats: 83.8 WAR | 2,781 Hits | 630 HRs | .284 AVG | 1,836 RBI
Main Photo Credits: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
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