Ken Griffey Jr.

Ken Griffey Jr., known as “Junior” and “The Kid,” became “The One” to watch during Cactus League action. Bursting onto the Major League scene at age 19, Griffey Jr.’s bat and glove catapulted him to a career that was a throwback to an era of players who could do it all – hit, run and field.

He spent 14 of his 22-year Major League career in the Cactus League. From 1989-1999 he played with the Mariners, in 2008 with the Chicago White Sox and 2009-2010 again with the Mariners. A 13-time All-Star, Griffey Jr. was one of the most prolific Home Run hitters in baseball history. He won 10 straight Gold Gloves, 7 Silver Slugger awards, and the American League’s MVP in 1997.

When he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2016, his first year of eligibility, he received the highest percentage of votes in the Hall’s history – 99.32 percent.