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Ranking the Best Catchers in Mariners Team History

By Christopher O'Day

SEATTLE, UNITED STATES: Amidst a sea of his teammates' legs, Seattle Mariner catcher Dan Wilson displays the Barry Bonds foul ball he caught while sliding onto the step of the Seattle dugout during third inning play against the San Francisco Giants in Seattle WA, 11 June 1999. Seattle went on to win, 7-3. AFP PHOTO Dan Levine (Photo credit should read DAN LEVINE/AFP via Getty Images)
SEATTLE, UNITED STATES: Amidst a sea of his teammates' legs, Seattle Mariner catcher Dan Wilson displays the Barry Bonds foul ball he caught while sliding onto the step of the Seattle dugout during third inning play against the San Francisco Giants in Seattle WA, 11 June 1999. Seattle went on to win, 7-3. AFP PHOTO Dan Levine (Photo credit should read DAN LEVINE/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Mariners Dave Valle
24 APR 1991: SEATTLE MARINERS CATCHER DAVE VALLE MAKES A PLAY DURING THE MARINERS VERSUS CALIFORNIA ANGELS GAME AT ANAHEIM STADIUM IN ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA. MANDATORY CREDIT: STEPHEN DUNN/ALLSPORT USA /

Mariners Dave Valle – 10.8

Yup, the Mariners longtime announcer and broadcaster, in the booth since 1997, is actually one of the best catchers in the team’s history.

He started back in 1984, and played ten years with the Mariners. He was a decent hitter, and finished with a lifetime slash of .235/.311/.371 in his time with the M’s. His best season in the majors was actually his last with the Mariners. In 1993, he hit .258/.354/.395 with 13 HR, 48 R, and 63 RBI, which outside of slugging, were all career highs.

His defense was awesome that year as well, and it earned him a 3.0 WAR. The stat that stands out is how often he nailed runners, catching an incredible 46% that year, well above the league average of 36%.

An underrated catcher, he always provided solid defense, which was the backbone of his ability at the position. He also brought a strong walk rate and low K rate (12.2% K, 8.1% BB) for the position.

Valle seems like a great catcher, just from hearing how he played. Wasn’t flashy, provided good defense with a good arm, and decent enough hitting.

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