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Ranking the Best Right Fielders in Seattle Mariners History

By Christopher O'Day

SEATTLE - OCTOBER 1: Outfielder Ichiro Suzuki #51 of the Seattle Mariners talkst to first base coach Mike Aldrete #9, after Suzuki broke George Sisler's 84-year-old record for hits in a single season, during the game against the Texas Rangers on October 1, 2004 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. In the first inning, Ichiro tied the Major League record for most hits in a season and broke the record in the third inning with a single - his 258th hit of the season. In the sixth, Suzuki got hit number 259. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE - OCTOBER 1: Outfielder Ichiro Suzuki #51 of the Seattle Mariners talkst to first base coach Mike Aldrete #9, after Suzuki broke George Sisler's 84-year-old record for hits in a single season, during the game against the Texas Rangers on October 1, 2004 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. In the first inning, Ichiro tied the Major League record for most hits in a season and broke the record in the third inning with a single - his 258th hit of the season. In the sixth, Suzuki got hit number 259. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /
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Mariners Mitch Haniger
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 03: A fan holds a sign for Mitch Haniger #17 of the Seattle Mariners before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on October 03, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /

Mariners #3 RF: Mitch Haniger  – 10.9 fWAR

You know, if there was one Mariners player that I could pick to have a healthy career, Mitch Haniger would be up there. Sure, there are other ones that you could definitely point to. However, Haniger’s on the team right now, so it’s the one that sticks out and always comes to mind.

Throw out 2019. He was hurt, playing hurt, and nothing went right for him. That leaves three seasons in Seattle that he has gotten to play (since he missed all of 2020). Do you know what his 162 game averages are?

32 HR, 100 R, 92 RBI, 6 SB, 32 2B, .263/.339/.481. That’s with a BABIP that is well below league average as well. I know he is unlikely to play 162 games, but he’s had freak injuries, so I don’t think that it’s unreasonable to think he plays in the mid-150s for games, which is what he did in 2018 and 2021.

2018 easily stands out as the best of his career so far, and put the league on notice that not only was Haniger a good player, he was a legitimate All-Star and someone capable of finishing near the top of the MVP voting. He finished with a 4.5 fWAR that year, although this is one of the biggest differences I can remember seeing between Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference, as they have him at a 6.5. Regardless of what WAR you want to give him, he had an incredible season.

.285/.366/.493, 38 2B, 26 HR, 90 R, 93 RBI, 137 WRC+

With the added power last year, Haniger has a shot at finishing top-10 MVP again. There are just too many insanely good players out there right now for him to win it, but finishing in that 5-7 range seems plausible. He’s currently the 3rd best Mariners RF of all-time. I don’t think there’s any argument to be made, currently, that he is 2nd. However, If he ends up re-signing and sticking around, then there is an amazing chance that he gets to number 2. For now, that belongs to The Bone.

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