Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. joined the Seattle Mariners ownership group Monday, becoming the first former player in team history to hold partnership interest in the club.

Griffey said in a statement:

"As I said in my Hall of Fame speech, I'm very proud to be a Seattle Mariner. I'm excited for this incredible opportunity to join John [Stanton] and the rest of the Mariners partnership group. This is a dream come true because of the relationship I've always had with the team, its fans, and the city of Seattle. I view this as another way to continue to give back to an organization and community that has always supported me, and my family. I'm looking forward to continuing to contribute to this organization's success in any way possible."

Griffey played his first 11 seasons and 13 overall with the Mariners. He made 11 of his 13 All-Star appearances with the franchise, winning the 1997 AL MVP and emerging as one of the most iconic players of his generation.

Mariners chairman and managing partner John Stanton said:

"On behalf of all of the partners, I want to welcome Ken. Ken has been an icon of our franchise, on and off the field, for over three decades and we are thrilled that he is joining us as a partner. His knowledge of the game, love of the Mariner fans, his experiences as a player, his passion for community service and his desire to help grow our sport will be a welcome, and invaluable, additional voice."

The Mariners retired his No. 24 jersey in 2016, the same year he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Cincinnati Reds, where Griffey played from 2000 to 2008, also inducted him as a franchise Hall of Famer. 

Griffey has been a special consultant to the Mariners since his retirement and remained an integral ambassador to the franchise and the city of Seattle. In January, Griffey joined MLB as an adviser to commissioner Rob Manfred.