Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki (Photo by Alan C. Heison on Shutterstock)
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Best Mariners Players Of All Time: Top 5 Legendary Seattle Athletes, According To Fans

August 16, 2023
by Matthew Sherdan

Seattle is a beautiful northwestern city known for being the coffee capital of America and for having some of the most exuberant sports fans who love cheering for the Seahawks and Mariners. The Mariners are the only Major League Baseball (MLB) team to have never played in the World Series, but despite the postseason struggles, Seattle has been home to some amazing ballplayers. Although there have been a lot of greats in Seattle, only a few can be called the best Mariners players of all time. 

Speaking of great players, a recent study suggests that fans prefer championship teams comprised of homegrown talent instead of teams stacked with pricey free agents. Researchers at the University of Kansas surveyed 1,500 Americans. Apparently, sports fans appreciate the hard work and dedication it takes to build a championship team from the ground up. 

Whether or not your favorite team is drafting future Hall of Famers, it’s always fun to simply get out to the ballpark. The good news is a recent study found that attending live sporting events can boost your mental health as much as getting a job. A survey out of England found that respondents who recently attended a live sporting event – professional or otherwise – scored better in terms of ‘life satisfaction’ than those who had not recently been to a game. The survey of 7,000 adults is the first of its kind to examine the mental health benefits of attending sporting events. Overall, sports fans claim that watching live events makes them feel more ‘worthwhile’ and leaves them feeling satisfied. Getting out to a ballgame in Seattle might be just the thing you need to get rid of those gloomy weather blues. 

So, which players are considered the greatest in Mariners history? StudyFinds did the research, consulting 10 sports and baseball-oriented websites to bring you a list of the best Mariners players of all time. Think your favorite player was snubbed? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below! 

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Safeco Field, home to the Seattle Mariners (Photo by vhines on Pixabay)

The List: Best Mariners Players, According to Sports Experts

1. Ken Griffey Jr. (1989-1999 & 2009-2010)

Easily topping the list of the best Mariners players of all time is none other than Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey is one of the best players in the history of baseball, and he’s easily one of the top Mariners in franchise history. 

“At the top of his game, Griffey was the most electric player in the game, whether it be his absolute rockets for home runs, or his ridiculous defensive plays, there wasn’t a player more fun to watch than Griffey. Griffey could absolutely mash the baseball, while hitting for average as well, and he ended up winning the AL MVP award in 1997 when he hit .304 while hitting 56 home runs and driving in 147 runs. Griffey’s destructive overall style of play did sap him of his abilities a bit earlier than expected, although that was the Cincinnati Reds problem more so than the Mariners. Either way, Griffey was simply spectacular during his peak with Seattle, and he easily earns the top spot on greatest Mariners list,” writes Clutch Points. 

Griffey’s spectacular performance during the 1997 season helped solidify his place as one of the best baseball players in the world at that time. Griffey had a lot of expectations to live up to, though. As the son of Reds great, Ken Griffey, he had the pedigree to become one of the best Mariners of all time. 

“The Mariners selected Griffey Jr. with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1987 MLB Draft, and that decision proved to be the greatest transaction in franchise history. In parts of 13 seasons with the Mariners, Griffey hit a franchise record 417 home runs, leading baseball in home runs during the 1994, 1997, 1998 and 1999 seasons. Even as many other players used performance-enhancing drugs during the 1990s, Griffey — who, by all accounts, was clean — finished second in home runs (382), RBIs (1,091) and fWAR (66.0) during the decade,” explains Audacy. 

Ken Griffey Jr. was excellent from the beginning of his career. As a young 19-year-old, Griffey nearly won Rookie of the Year in 1989. His career was uphill after that, and he quickly became one of the most entertaining players in MLB. 

“Griffey had a strong rookie season for Seattle in 1989 as a 19-year-old when he finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting, and immediately after that blossomed into one of the premier stars in the sport. In the next ten years Griffey would make 10 All-Star Games, win ten Gold Gloves, win the 1997 AL MVP award and capture seven Silver Sluggers. He broke the hearts of Mariners’ fans when he left the team as a free agent ahead of the 2000 campaign to go home to Cincinnati, and while he was good for the Reds, his best days clearly came in the Pacific Northwest. It was really cool that the Mariners brought him back in ’09 to finish his career where it started and give their fans another chance to see him play in Seattle. Griffey is the Mariners all-time leader with 417 home runs, and he was enshrined in Cooperstown with an M’s hat in 2016,” adds Yardbarker. 

2. Edgar Martinez (1987-2004)

The next player on the list of the best Mariners players of all time needs no introduction to Mariners fans – it’s Edgar Martinez. This incredible third baseman is beloved by fans of the Seattle Mariners, and he’s easily one of the best players in franchise history. 

“If I had children and wanted to show them what a Mariner should be, I’d point to Edgar…. The argument will always be made about Edgar not playing defense. When he stepped into the batters box, though, he was among the most feared right-handed hitters in the game. He didn’t always do it with the long ball, but Edgar had elite on-base skills and drove the gap well… You don’t have streets and awards named after you unless you’ve done a few things right. Edgar just happened to do everything right for the Mariners. A true role model and icon of Seattle, Edgar Martinez is the greatest Mariner of all-time,” explains Bleacher Report. 

For some fans, Martinez is the best Mariners player of all time. He played more games in a Mariners uniform than any other player in the franchise’s long and storied history. “Martinez played in more games than anyone in team history (2,055), scored more runs (1,219), has the second-best average (.312), the best on-base percentage by a long shot (.412 — Ken Phelps is next at .392), and a walk total that may never be broken (1,283 — Griffey is next with 819). And, well, he also had the biggest hit in team history, the double down the line to score Joey Cora and Griffey to beat the Yankees in 1995,” furthers The Grueling Truth. 

Martinez’s hit down the line to beat the Yankees has a solid place in Mariners lore. “The Double” as it’s known, Martinez smoked a ball down the line to bring in second baseman Joey Cora and legendary Mariner Ken Griffey Jr. “While Ken Griffey Jr might be the best Seattle Mariner of all time, Edgar Martinez is likely the most beloved. He was an incredibly talented player who served as both a designated hitter and third baseman. Throughout his career, he was one of the best hitters in the entire MLB,” adds Rookie Road.  

3. Ichiro Suzuki (2001-2012 & 2018-2019)

Swinging into the third spot on the list of the best Mariners players of all time is none other than Ichiro Suzuki. For more than a decade, Suzuki was one of the best hitters in all of MLB, and he’s easily one of the top players in Seattle franchise history. 

“When Ichiro Suzuki left Japan to join the Mariners in 2001, he was already one of the most accomplished Japanese hitters in history. So when he instantly won AL Rookie of the Year in his first season in North America, it seemed a little unfair to the other rookies that year. Of course, that wasn’t the only award the right fielder won in ’01. After winning the batting title with a .350 mark and leading the majors with 56 stolen bases, Ichiro was named AL MVP. Along with Boston‘s Fred Lynn, he is the only player ever to win both awards in the same season,” explains Yardbarker. 

Ichiro was far from a traditional rookie when he joined the Mariners in 2001. Ichiro was already a seasoned veteran who had played for several years in a professional capacity in Japan. “After nine seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, Suzuki had accumulated seven batting titles, seven All-Star appearances, and seven Gold Gloves with the Orix BlueWave. Seattle won the bidding rights to negotiate with him, and after signing him, Suzuki became an instant star—winning Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in 2001, while also starting 10-year stretches as an All-Star and Gold Glove winner. That season, he helped the Mariners win 116 games in the regular season,” furthers How They Play. 

Ichiro’s impact on the Seattle Mariners franchise was felt immediately. He’s one of the only players in MLB history to be known around the league by only his first name. You can say the name Ichiro and everyone instantly knows who you’re talking about. Still, he is one of the best contact hitters the sport has ever seen. 

“Behind a fantastic rookie season from Ichiro the Mariners went on to win an MLB record-tying 116 games, and Ichiro captured only the second MVP in team history. Then there was 2004 when he set the all-time season hits record. His career team records for hits (2,533) and average (.322) also won’t be easy to break,” adds The Grueling Truth. 

4. Randy Johnson (1989-1998) 

Scowling his way into the fourth spot on the list of the best Mariners players of all time is none other than the Big Unit, Randy Johnson. He was an intimidating figure on the mound for the Mariners, and he’s easily one of the best pitchers in MLB history. Johnson did not play his entire career in Seattle, but his years in a Mariners uniform were no less special. 

“The Mariners stumbled onto Johnson in 1989, and similar to Rodriguez, they got to watch a star be born, only to watch him reach new heights after he left them. Johnson got better with age, and over his time with the Mariners, he turned himself into the pitcher that eventually would win four straight Cy Young awards with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Johnson won the Cy Young in 1995 and finished in the top three on three separate occasions, showcasing early hints of his dominant stretch with Arizona. Johnson bounced around several other teams, and while you can’t say he was better anywhere else other than Arizona, he managed to figure things out with Seattle, and will still go down as one of the best pitchers in their history,” explains Clutch Points. 

Randy Johnson wasn’t drafted by the Mariners, and he came over in a trade with the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals). Randy Johnson stood nearly seven feet tall, and one can only imagine how intimidating it must have been to step into the batter’s box against him. 

“Johnson made five All-Star teams as a member of the Mariners, and finished third or better in American League Cy Young Award voting four different times during his years in Seattle. Johnson tossed the first no-hitter in franchise history on June 2, 1990, and became the first Mariner to win the AL Cy Young Award in 1995. The 19 complete-game shutouts that Johnson tossed during his time in Seattle are a franchise record, one that will probably never be broken,” writes Audacy. 

Randy Johnson went on to have some truly dominant seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he’s a big reason that team won its first World Series. Johnson also went on to pitch for the New York Yankees, but his time in Seattle will forever be appreciated by Mariners fans. 

“Among the most intimidating pitchers in Major League history, Randy Johnson is the finest player ever acquired by the Mariners in a trade. Then a mostly unknown prospect with the Montreal Expos, Johnson came to the Mariners in 1989, and promptly became one of the most dominating pitchers in the American League. The ‘Big Unit’ stood at 6 feet, 10 inches, as one of the tallest players in the history of the game, and he backed up that intimidation by pitching a no-hitter in 1990, winning the 1995 Cy Young Award, and getting selected for five All-Star teams. His stat line in ‘95 included an 18–2 win-loss record with a 2.48 earned-run average and 294 strikeouts. Johnson was one win shy of winning the pitching Triple Crown that season,” furthers How They Play. 

5. Felix Hernandez (2005-2019)

Rounding out the list of the best Mariners players of all time is another one of the franchise’s greatest pitchers, Felix Hernandez. For a stretch in the mid-2000s, “King” Felix was arguably the best pitcher in MLB, or at least one of the best. 

“Right-hander Felix Hernandez debuted for the Mariners as a 19-year-old rookie in 2005, and over the next decade and a half would author one of the best careers in the franchise’s history. Hernandez made every one of his 418 major league starts in a Seattle uniform, winning 169 games with a 3.42 ERA. He won the AL Cy Young award in 2010, won the ERA title twice, led the league in innings in 2010 and was chosen to represent the junior circuit in the All-Star Game six times. Hernandez is the Mariners’ franchise leader in starts, wins, strikeouts and innings,” explains Yardbarker. 

Randy Johnson was a great Mariners pitcher, but Felix Hernandez embodies the Mariners franchise. He played his entire career in Seattle, and he was dominant for nearly all of it. 

“Over the course of a 15-year career spent entirely with the Mariners, Hernández finished in the top 10 in American League Cy Young Award voting on six occasions, including winning the award in 2010 with a 13-12 record that essentially signaled that voters had moved beyond using pitcher wins and losses as a key metric in determining dominance. On Aug. 15, 2012, Hernández threw the first — and to this point, only — perfect game in franchise history,” furthers Audacy. 

Hernandez’s perfect game will go down in team history, and no other Mariners pitcher has gotten particularly close to that achievement in the years since. Hernandez is considered the best pitcher in Mariners history given he played his entire career with the team. 

“Felix Hernandez’s peak was somewhat short, but during his heyday, there wasn’t a better pitcher in the MLB than him. Hernandez would mow down hitters on a nightly basis for the Mariners, and from 2007 to 2015, he almost never missed a start. Hernandez won the AL Cy Young in 2010 with a wildly impressive campaign, and finished in the top ten of the voting on five other occasions. His arm eventually wore down in his early 30s, but that’s what happens when you pitch over 200 innings in eight straight seasons. That shouldn’t take away from everything that Hernandez accomplished, though, and he is easily the greatest pitcher in Mariners history,” adds Clutch Points. 

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