Now that Mariners have manager, they shift focus to rest of coaching staff
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SEATTLE -- Jason Kanzler has already met with the Major League coaching staff that the Mariners are retaining in 2027.
After all, they were part of his in-person interviews last week as he emerged as a finalist for the club’s managerial vacancy. And now that he’s been selected as Seattle’s successor for the role, that correspondence -- along with connecting with players -- become his top priority.
“We have continued these conversations rapidly as this has progressed,” Kanzler said on Wednesday, when he was formally introduced at T-Mobile Park. “It is extremely important that I get to know them as best as possible. They're in there in the trenches with me and the players every day, and I really look forward to learning them more and also learning the staff that we bring in more.”
Now that Seattle has reached the finish line to its exhaustive, five-week process to hire a new manager -- the club’s sights will shift to rounding out the rest of that coaching staff.
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And that operation will continue in earnest on Thursday, spearheaded by president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander.
“We have half a staff left to fill out,” Hollander said, “and I have a bunch of names written on my board. Some are Jason's names. Some are names that Jerry or I or someone else in our baseball ops group thought of, and starting now, those are just our names. Those are just the names that are best for the Mariners.”
Hollander added that Kanzler will have a hand in the decisions.
“We have shared a lot of ideas,” Hollander said. “It will be a completely collaborative effort. It's really important that we all share the same vision, that we all bring names to the table and we just choose the best person for the Mariners. We're all working together. That's what partnership means. So we will continue to do that.”
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The Mariners parted ways with four among Dan Wilson’s staff at the end of the regular season -- bench coach Manny Acta, infield coach Perry Hill, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and first-base coach Eric Young Jr.
They’ve already found one replacement -- CJ Gillman, their former Minor League hitting coordinator who will be their lead Major League hitting coach, though the club has not formally announced the hire.
When that news surfaced Friday, many speculated that Kanzler was the front-runner for the managerial job, speculating a friendship between Kanzler and Gillman. But the two aren’t as close as reports suggested.
“Not as much as from what I've been told is being circulated,” Kanzler said. “I have tried to hire him in the past. I think he's great. I think what things he does are great. I think what he stands for is excellent. His content is excellent. His methods of communicating and coaching are outstanding. So he's been on my list for a while.”
Subordinate to Gillman, the club is expected to add an assistant hitting coach, possibly two, and a first-base coach, potentially one that could hybrid to cover infield defense. There’s a likelihood that Seattle will add support staff to the group as well.
The coaches that are returning include:
• Trent Blank, director of pitching strategy
• Pete Woodworth, pitching coach
• Danny Farquhar, assistant pitching coach and pitching strategist
• Austin Nola, bullpen coach
• Ed Paparella, hitting coordinator
• Carlos Cardoza, third-base coach
• Jake McKinley, field coordinator