Seattle Mariners former outfielder Ichiro Suzuki plays catch during batting practice against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park in 2021. Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Ichiro Suzuki is Closing in on Some Rare Baseball History with Hall of Fame Induction

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 9:45 AM ET

Seattle Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki is less than three weeks away from joining baseball immortality. The longtime M's stalwart will join Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez as M's players in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and he'll make some additional history alongside fellow inductee Dick Allen.

Per @MLB on social media:

Only 12 players in history have won Rookie of the Year & MVP awards and been elected to the @BaseballHall.

• Dick Allen
• Jeff Bagwell
• Johnny Bench
• Rod Carew
• Orlando Cepeda
• Andre Dawson
• Willie Mays
• Willie McCovey
• Cal Ripken Jr.
• Frank Robinson
• Jackie Robinson
• Ichiro Suzuki

Only 12 players in history have won Rookie of the Year & MVP awards and been elected to the @BaseballHall.

• Dick Allen
• Jeff Bagwell
• Johnny Bench
• Rod Carew
• Orlando Cepeda
• Andre Dawson
• Willie Mays
• Willie McCovey
• Cal Ripken Jr.
• Frank Robinson
• Jackie… pic.twitter.com/fUgweIpKmE
— MLB (@MLB) July 7, 2025

Ichiro was nearly a unanimous entry into the Hall of Fame, appearing on all but one ballot when they were revealed in January. He was named the Rookie of the Year in the American League in 2001 and earned the MVP that award the same year. The M's won 116 games that season - the most in American League history. They lost to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.

Ichiro was a professional for 28 seasons between his time in Japan and the United States. He played for the Mariners, Yankees and Miami Marlins, earning more than 4,300 combined professional hits. He was a 10-time All-Star and a 10-time Gold Glover. He also won two batting titles and three Silver Slugger Awards.

Ichiro is the the first Japanese player to make the Hall of Fame. In addition to his Hall of Fame entrance, he'll have his number 51 retired by the Mariners in August.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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