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10 greatest Mariners players of all time, ranked

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Owen Crisafulli | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 11:55 AM ET

The Seattle Mariners may never have won a World Series or even made it to the World Series for that matter, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t had any great players suit up for them throughout the history of their franchise.

While they have had a lot of good players, it’s fair to wonder who would end up going down as the greatest Mariners players of all time. Let’s answer that question by picking out the best Mariners players of all time and examine why they ended up on this list.

10. Jay Buhner

Position: Right Field

Years with Mariners: 1988-2001

Notable Accolades: 1996 AL All-Star, 1996 Gold Glove winner

Jay Buhner wasn’t always a key piece of the Mariners during his 14 seasons with them, but he quietly became one of the best players in their history with a solid seven-season stretch midway through his career.

Buhner eventually found his way into the lineup on an everyday basis, and while he only made it to the All-Star Game once, his stretch from 1995-1997, in which he hit more than 40 home runs and drove in at least 109 runs in each season, was one of the best in Mariners history.

Buhner’s peak didn’t last long, but he was so good during that time that he ends up sneaking onto this list at No. 10.

9. Robinson Cano

Position: Second Base

Years with Mariners: 2014-2018

Notable Accolades: Three-time AL All-Star

Robinson Cano will likely be remembered more for outrageously expensive contract than what he actually did with the Mariners, but during his five season stretch in Seattle, Cano played some really good baseball. He traded contact for power and power for contact from time to time at the plate, but he was still easily Seattle’s best hitter every season he was with them.

Cano earned three of his eight All-Star berths with the Mariners, and finished in the Top 10 of the American League MVP race twice as well. Despite that, signs of his regression quickly set in, and the Marines traded him halfway through his 10-year deal to the New York Mets. Still, his time with the Marines was memorable, even if it ended on a fairly sour note.

8. Jamie Moyer

Position: Starting Pitcher

Years with Mariners: 1996-2006

Notable Accolades: 2003 AL All-Star

Jamie Moyer might have the most interesting career in the history of the MLB. He never really established himself in the MLB until well after his 30th birthday and ended up finding a consistent home with the Mariners in 1996. Moyer only had two losing seasons during his time with Seattle, which is rather impressive considering their history of losing.

Either way, Moyer was never the best pitcher, and he had some truly ugly seasons along the way, but he never gave up. Moyer earned his first and only All-Star berth in 2003 when he was 40 years old and finished in the top six of the AL Cy Young race three times. Moyer played in MLB until he was 49, but it was his years with Seattle that helped him establish his legacy.

7. Kyle Seager

Position: Third Base

Years with Mariners: 2011-2021

Notable Accolades: 2014 AL All-Star, 2014 Gold Glove winner

If nothing else, Kyle Seager was consistent throughout his career with the Mariners. Aside from his initial 53-game stint in the majors in 2011 and the shortened 2020 season, Seager hit at least 20 home runs every season. His production varied from time to time, but for the most part, the Mariners always knew what they were getting with Seager.

He doesn’t post gaudy numbers, but it never really mattered because he was the best player on some pretty bad Mariners teams. It’s a shame that Seager decided to call it a career right as Seattle was beginning to find some success, but it’s clear his career will always be appreciated by the Mariners.

6. Alex Rodriguez

Position: Shortstop and Third Base

Years with Mariners: 1994-2000

Notable Accolades: Four-time AL All-Star, Four-time Silver Slugger

Long before Alex Rodriguez went on to become a New York Yankees legend, he made his name with the Seattle Mariners as one of the brightest young stars in the game. Rodriguez truly broke out in 1996 when he hit .358 and finished second in the AL MVP race, and the rest is history.

Rodriguez hit at least 41 home runs in his final three seasons with the Mariners, and while he didn’t end up posting the huge numbers he had with the Texas Rangers and the Yankees, Rodriguez still did more than enough to cement his place as one of the greatest Mariners of all time despite his short stint there.

5. Randy Johnson

Seattle Mariners former starting pitcher Randy Johnson talks to the fans during a ceremony in which Johnson is inducted into the Seattle Mariners hall of fame prior to the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Kansas City Royals at Safeco Field. Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Position: Starting Pitcher

Years with Mariners: 1989-1998

Notable Accolades: 1995 AL CY Young, Five-time AL All-Star, Hall of Famer, No-hitter on June 2, 1990

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 for the M’s and finished in the Top 3 three times, showcasing early hints of his dominant stretch with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He cemented his Hall of Fame status with other MLB teams, but he managed to figure things out with Seattle and will still go down as one of the best pitchers in their history.

4. Felix Hernandez

Position: Starting Pitcher

Years with Mariners: 2005-2019

Notable Accolades: 2010 AL Cy Young, Six-time AL All-Star, Perfect game on Aug. 15, 2012

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 10 of the voting on five other occasions.

His arm eventually wore down in his early 30s, but that’s what usually happens when you pitch more than 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.

3. Ichiro Suzuki

Position: Right Field

Years with Mariners: 2001-2012, 2018-2019

Notable Accolades: 2001 AL MVP, 2001 AL Rookie of the Year, 10-time AL All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, Three-time Silver Slugger

Ichiro Suzuki’s peak, similar to Hernandez, didn’t last as long as other players, but he was one of the most captivating players in the league. In fact, if this was a list of most popular Mariners players, he would be higher on this list, if not No. 1.

Suzuki came over to the MLB in 2001 from Japan, and immediately won Rookie of the Year and MVP as he led the M’s to an MLB-tying 116 wins. Ichiro racked up more than 200 hits in 10 consecutive seasons to start his career with the Mariners, and he never truly stopped hitting the ball. In fact, he set the MLB record for most hits in a season with 262 in 2004.

Suzuki also was one of the best defensive outfielders in the game, stole more than 40 bases in five seasons, including in 2011 when he was 37 years old, and was constantly one of the top MVP candidates in the AL. Ichiro returned to Seattle to end his career, but his first 10-year stretch with the Mariners was one of the greatest in the history of the league.

2. Edgar Martinez

Position: Designated Hitter and Third Base

Years with Mariners: 1987-2004

Notable Accolades: Seven-time All-Star, Five-time Silver Slugger, Hall of Famer

Edgar Martinez was a late bloomer, as he didn’t really find a consistent role with the Mariners until 1990 when he was 27. But once he did, there was no stopping him. Martinez quickly cemented himself as one of the best all-around hitters in the game and put together quite the career at the plate for Seattle primarily as a designated hitter.

Martinez never won an MVP, but he can awfully close in 1995 when he hit .356 with 29 home runs and 113 runs batted in. Even when he wasn’t hitting, Martinez was always drawing walks, and he had five seasons where he had an OPS above 1.000, which is just absurd. Martinez rightfully earned a spot in the Hall of Fame, and he is easily one of the greatest Mariners players of all time.

1. Ken Griffey Jr.

Position: Centerfielder

Years with Mariners: 1989-1999, 2009-2010

Notable Accolades: 1997 AL MVP, 10-time AL All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, Seven-time Silver Slugger, Hall of Famer

Was there any other choice than Ken Griffey Jr.? 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 “The Kid.”

He could absolutely mash the baseball while hitting for average as well, and Griffy 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 the greatest Mariners list.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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