For other people with the same name, see Daniel Wilson.
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Daniel Allen Wilson (born March 25, 1969) is an American former professional baseball player and current manager of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB as a catcher from 1992 through 2005, playing for the Mariners for 12 of his 14 seasons. Wilson began his career with the Cincinnati Reds before being traded in late 1993 to the Mariners, where he was regarded as a good defensive catcher. At the time he retired in 2005, Wilson held the American League record for career fielding percentage by a catcher. In 2012, Wilson was inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame alongside his battery-mate, Randy Johnson.
Wilson became the Mariners' manager after the team fired Scott Servais on August 22, 2024. Wilson led the team to a division title in his first full season as manager.
Wilson made the Reds' Opening Day roster in 1993, backing up Joe Oliver. He returned to Triple-A with the new Reds A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians in July.[9][10] In parts of two seasons with Cincinnati, he batted .257 with 11 RBI in 48 games.[11]
Seattle Mariners (1994–2005)
Following the 1993 season, the Reds traded Wilson and pitcher Bobby Ayala to the Seattle Mariners for second baseman Bret Boone and pitcher Erik Hanson. The Mariners made the trade to dump Hanson's salary and add two prospects.[12] Wilson made the Mariners' roster out of spring training in 1994 and became an established major-league player, replacing Dave Valle as the M's primary catcher.[13] In his first game, he picked off a stumbling Manny Ramirez at second base.[14] In his rookie season, Wilson struggled at the plate, batting .216, but he showed signs of his defensive ability with a .986 fielding percentage. That was the lowest fielding percentage he would have as the Mariners' primary catcher. The 1995 season went better for him; he played 119 games, batting .278 and raising his fielding percentage to .995, as the Mariners won the American League (AL) West division for the first time in franchise history.[11][15] In his first postseason, Wilson batted 2-for-33, going hitless in six AL Championship Series games.[16]
Wilson signed a two-year, $6.55 million contract extension in April 1997, lasting through the 1999 season.[19] He was the battery-mate for Mariners pitcher Randy Johnson on June 24, when Johnson struck out 19 batters in a game against the Oakland Athletics, just one strikeout less than the major league single-game record of 20 strikeouts in a 9 inning game.[20] Several weeks later on August 8, Johnson, again throwing to Wilson, struck out 19 Chicago White Sox batters.[21] In 1997, he excelled against left-handed pitching, with a .657 slugging percentage, one of the best in the majors.[22][9] In Wilson and his team's second playoff appearance, he extended his postseason hitless streak to 10 games as the Mariners lost in the AL Division Series.[16]
On May 3, 1998, Wilson hit an inside-the-parkgrand slam, an unusual feat for any ballplayer, especially for a catcher.[23][24] That July, he tore ligaments in his left ankle while chasing after a passed ball, sending him to the disabled list for the first time in his career.[25]
Wilson batting in 2004
Wilson remained a dependable receiver for Mariners pitchers over the next several seasons. In 2000, Wilson's numbers declined to a .235 batting average and .990 fielding percentage; he was also limited to 90 games as a result of injuries.[11][26] That postseason, he batted 1-for-14, snapping his 0-for-42 postseason slump in the final loss to the New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series.[16][27] However, he regained his form in 2001, playing 123 games (122 at catcher) and posting a .265 batting average and a .999 fielding percentage, making 1 error all season.[11] In his final playoffs, he batted .179 with a double, his only career postseason extra base hit.[16] He hit career-best .295 in 115 games for the Mariners in 2002. After that season, he signed a two-year, $7 million extension with Seattle.[28] He had a .998 fielding percentage over 96 games in 2003, batting .241 after beginning season on the injured list. In his last full, healthy season, he batted .251 with 33 RBI in 2004.[11][9]
Before the 2005 season, Miguel Olivo replaced Wilson as Seattle's starting catcher.[29] On May 4, Wilson suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He had considered retiring after the 2005 season,[30] and he announced his retirement, effective at the end of the season, on September 12.[31][32] Although a torn ACL commonly keeps athletes sidelined for most of a season, Wilson spent most of the rest of the season rehabilitating his knee and was activated from the disabled list on September 30. He came back for one final inning that night against the Oakland Athletics; he had not recovered enough to swing a bat, but he was able to crouch and throw. The Mariners' starting pitcher that night was Jamie Moyer, whom Wilson had caught for 190 previous starts dating back to 1996. Moyer pitched to five batters in the inning, which ended when Bobby Kielty flied out to center field, and held Oakland scoreless. Wilson was pulled after catching Moyer's warmup pitches in the top of the second inning. Moyer pitched seven more innings, and the Mariners won, 4–1.[33][34][35]
Wilson set an AL record for catchers with 1,051 putouts in 1997, the third highest season total for a catcher in major league history at the time.[37] His 1,128 total chances in 1997 were an AL record and second-most in major league history at the time.[38] In 2001, Wilson committed only one error in 122 games, for a .9987 fielding percentage.[39] He holds many Mariners record for catchers, including games played, hits, and RBI.[40][41]
Beginning in 2012, Wilson was a color commentator for Mariners games on Root Sports. Notably, along with Dave Sims, Wilson called the game on August 15, 2012 when Félix Hernández pitched the first perfect game in Mariners' history. He was also broadcasting on Root Sports on June 8, 2012 when six Mariners' pitchers combined for a no-hitter.[44]
On November 3, 2013, the Mariners announced that Wilson would become the team's minor league catching coordinator.[45]
On August 22, 2024, Wilson was hired as the Mariners manager after the team fired Scott Servais the same day.[46][44] On September 26, the Mariners were eliminated from postseason contention.[47]
Wilson is married and has four children. His son Elijah is also a professional catcher, playing in Triple-A in several seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system after also playing for the Golden Gophers.[1][49]
Growing up, Wilson's favorite player was Johnny Bench, who predated Wilson as a catcher for the Reds.[1] In high school, Wilson was an all-state hockey goaltender and the quarterback of the football team.[9]
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