Dan Wilson named Mariners Minor League catching coordinator
Wilson will work with catchers throughout Mariners system
SEATTLE, Wash. - Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik and Director of Minor League Operations Chris Gwynn announced today that Dan Wilson has been hired as the team's roving minor league Catching Coordinator.
Wilson will work with Mariners catchers at all levels, beginning during Spring Training and continuing throughout the minor league season. He will travel to each of the Mariners affiliates several times during the season to work with Seattle's young catchers.
"We are happy to have Dan, one of our former players, affiliated with us," Zduriencik said. "His on-field experience and passion for the Mariners organization makes him a great fit in his new role with us. We are looking forward to Dan's contributions as he spends hands-on time with our players."
Wilson, 44, spent 14 seasons catching in the Majors, debuting with Cincinnati (1992-93) and spending the bulk of his career with the Mariners (1994-2005). He has caught more games (1,281) than any other player in Mariners history and was the starting catcher on every Mariners team to reach the post-season. Dan owns the Mariners career record for home runs by a catcher (88, including 2 inside-the-park homers), and the Club's single-season records for catchers RBI (83, 1996) and home runs (18, 1996).
Dan ended his career with a .995 fielding percentage, at the time the highest for any catcher in American League history, and the sixth-highest in Major League history.
Wilson was an American League All-Star in 1996, and was inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2012.
"I am excited and thankful for this opportunity," Wilson said. "We have been blessed by the game of baseball and by this incredibly generous community, and I am privileged to join the Mariner family again and help pass along what I've learned with a very talented group of young catchers."
In addition to his on-field accomplishments Dan, and his family, have played an active philanthropic role in the Seattle community. Dan and his wife, Annie, were the 2012-2013 United Way of King County annual campaign co-chairs, and have long supported First Place School, the adoption agency All God's Children International and Seattle Children's Hospital.