Top 25 All-Time Rainiers: No. 11 Jose Cruz Jr.
The upcoming 2019 season will mark the Tacoma Rainiers 25th season as the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The two clubs first formed their partnership in 1995, and recently announced a four-year extension of their Player Development Contract that will continue their affiliation through the 2022 season.In honor of
The upcoming 2019 season will mark the Tacoma Rainiers 25th season as the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The two clubs first formed their partnership in 1995, and recently announced a four-year extension of their Player Development Contract that will continue their affiliation through the 2022 season.
In honor of this decades-long partnership we will explore the Top 25 players to come through Cheney Stadium since 1995, starting today with No. 25 and continuing every Monday until reaching No. 1 just before Opening Day 2019.
Hundreds of talented players have spent time in Tacoma during the Mariners era -- helping propel the Rainiers to five division titles, three conference championships and two Pacific Coast League Championships -- but only the best of the best make the Top 25.
Qualifiers
1. Players and ranking determined by Wins Above Replacement
2. Must have 200 plate appearances or 40 innings pitched with the Rainiers
No. 11 is outfielder Jose Cruz Jr., who played in 123 games over three seasons for the Rainiers.
Cruz appeared in 954 games in Major League Baseball over 12 seasons.
Cruz made his big-league debut in 1997 with the Mariners. He batted .268/.315/.541 with 12 HR and 34 RBI in 49 games before being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline.
Cruz's best season was with the San Francisco Giants in 2003 when he batted .250/.366/.414 with 20 home runs in 158 games.
This article created using technology provided by HERO Sports.