Seattle Mariners Name Jason Kanzler New Field Manager

The Seattle Mariners named Jason Kanzler the 22nd manager in franchise history on Tuesday, turning to a first-time skipper from outside the organization to steer the team following a difficult campaign.

Jason Kanzler Steps Into Seattle After Chicago Cubs Tenure

Kanzler arrives in Seattle after spending the past three seasons as the Chicago Cubs’ director of player development, where he oversaw the organization’s minor league system, players, and coaching staff, according to ESPN. At 36 years old, he becomes the second-youngest manager in Major League Baseball, trailing only 34-year-old Washington Nationals manager Blake Butera.

The appointment marks Kanzler’s first time managing a team at any level. Yet he brings prior big-league coaching experience from the Houston Astros organization between 2022 and 2023. He served as a major league coach during the Astros’ 2022 World Series run and worked as their assistant hitting coach in 2023, helping guide an offense that averaged 4.55 runs per game.

I am thrilled to join the Mariners organization and I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running. This team has an immense amount of talent in all facets of the game, and my coaching staff and I are excited to access and unlock this team’s full potential.

Jason Kanzler, Mariners Field Manager, via Major League Baseball

Replacing Dan Wilson After a Regressive Season

Kanzler succeeds Dan Wilson, who was fired following a 76-86 season. Wilson had taken over during the stretch run of 2024 and guided the Mariners to the AL West title in 2025, reaching Game 7 of the ALCS.

The subsequent season, however, saw a sharp regression. Several core players struggled offensively, including catcher Cal Raleigh batting .192 with 23 home runs and 69 RBIs, alongside down years from Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor. The Mariners ultimately scored 664 runs, the third-fewest in the majors, and finished the year out of the postseason picture.

After the All-Star break, a starting rotation headlined by Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, and Bryce Miller posted the sixth-highest ERA in the majors. The Mariners ultimately finished five games back in an AL West that the Houston Astros won with a .500 record.

Following the struggles, the organization moved on from several members of the coaching staff.

Our goal in this process was finding a manager with the ability to challenge all of us to improve. Jason has the mindset, expertise, communication skills, and intensity to help create a championship standard here in Seattle.

Jerry Dipoto, Mariners President of Baseball Operations, via Major League Baseball

Inside the Search and the Roster Ahead

During an extensive interview process, Kanzler emerged from a finalist pairing with former Astros manager Joe Espada. Mariners General Manager Justin Hollander noted that Kanzler consistently demonstrated elite leadership and an ability to connect with players and staff throughout the evaluation.

Kanzler will be the third manager to serve under Dipoto since his appointment in 2015. He inherits a roster featuring established pitching depth alongside Raleigh and Rodríguez, tasked with turning around an offense that faltered down the stretch.

More on this story: Seattle Mariners Manager Dan Wilson Will Not Return for 2027 Season

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