Seattle Mariners: Ken Griffey, Jr (67.6 WAR)
Even if he wasn’t the all-time team leader in WAR, Griffey would earn a spot at the top of this list for bringing national attention to Seattle during his peak seasons in the 1990s. Before Griffey, Seattle was baseball Siberia. Then Griffey arrived as a smiling rookie in 1989 and finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Gregg Olson and Tom Gordon.
Griffey made his first all-star team the next season and would go on to make 13 all-star teams, including 10 straight in his final 10 seasons in Seattle. His two best seasons were 1996 and 1997 when he was worth 9.7 and 9.0 WAR.
He won the AL MVP Award for that 1997 season and finished in the top five four other times. He’s the Seattle Mariners all-time leader in WAR and home runs.
Even more than that, Griffey was Seattle baseball in the 1990s. He filled out from a 19-year-old rookie to a sturdier veteran but always had that beautiful swing. Griffey is the only Mariner ever to hit 50 or more home runs in a season, and he did it twice.
Next: Ichiro Suzuki likely retiring this weekend
He still holds the top five spots for home runs in a season as a Mariner. He also had an official candy bar, something only Reggie Jackson had accomplished before.
He still holds the top five spots for home runs in a season for the Seattle Mariners. He also had an official candy bar, something only Reggie Jackson had accomplished before.