Mariners hire Jason Kanzler as next manager

SEATTLE -- The Mariners have found their new manager, and it’s an outside-the-box, under-the-radar hire who will become a first-time skipper at any level.

Jason Kanzler -- a 36-year-old emerging talent in the industry, who’s spent the past three seasons as the Cubs’ director of player development -- has been hired as Mariners manager, the club announced on Tuesday morning.

Kanzler was among two finalists -- along with former Astros manager Joe Espada -- who went through a third and final round of interviews last week, which MLB.com first reported and were in-person at T-Mobile Park among a cadre of club officials. That included members of the ownership group, baseball and business operations, the Major League coaching staff and more, per sources.

Kanzler was among two finalists -- along with former Astros manager Joe Espada -- who went through a third and final round of interviews last week, which MLB.com first reported and were in person at T-Mobile Park among a cadre of club officials. That included members of the ownership group, baseball and business operations, the Major League coaching staff and more, per sources.

The Mariners then transitioned into a decision-making phase between the two, which began last Thursday and ran through the weekend.

Kanzler is the 22nd manager in franchise history, and the third under president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, who is entering his 12th season. Kanzler replaces Dan Wilson, whose tenure concluded after two-plus years and immediately after Game 162, one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history.

Kanzler becomes the sport’s second-youngest manager -- behind only Washington’s Blake Butera, who assumed his role last season and is 34.

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

Before he was hired to oversee the Cubs’ farm system, Kanzler spent the previous five seasons in the Astros’ organization and worked alongside Espada as a Major League hitting coach from 2022-23. That included Houston’s run to the World Series title in '22, when he was one of three hitting coaches on Dusty Baker’s staff.

Kanzler began his coaching and player-development ascent as a hitting coach in the low Minors before being promoted to Houston’s Minor League hitting coordinator, and then eventually to Baker’s big league staff. That followed a playing career from 2014-15 in the Twins' organization, which topped out at High-A, after he was a 20th-round Draft pick by Minnesota in 2013.

Between his playing and pro coaching careers, Kanzler was a high school physics and chemistry teacher in suburban Houston, and he spent two seasons as an assistant coach in the Cape Cod League. He also has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Buffalo.

Essentially, Kanzler has climbed a leadership ladder across pro baseball for much of the past decade.

He’s been praised for his forward-thinking, creative views on the game, his background in coaching and player development and a polished ability to communicate, which Dipoto suggested would be a paramount quality in whoever was hired.

“Throughout the process, Jason consistently demonstrated elite leadership skills, high-end content and an ability to connect and partner with players, staff and front office,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said in a statement. “We all believe Jason is the right person to lead our organization back to the postseason.”

Dipoto also said that prior managerial experience at the Major League level “would be preferred” but that it was “not a prerequisite.” Each of his first two hires -- Scott Servais in 2015 and Wilson in 2024 -- had no prior managing experience at any level.

All of these factors make Kanzler’s hire fascinating.

And the intrigue is especially compounded by this decision coming with “full autonomy” from Dipoto, he said in an end-of-season press conference. Because Dipoto’s future could hang in the balance, depending on the success of how Seattle’s 2027 season -- and this hire -- play out.

Expectations might not be as sky-high as they were at this point last year, when the Mariners were on the cusp of their first World Series appearance. But Seattle’s core is in place, featuring a homegrown rotation that comprises six starters and an All-Star position-player nucleus of Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor.

The Mariners are banking on Kanzler unlocking more from that talent, especially after many in the organization -- including Dipoto -- suggested that accountability and communication became pitfalls to the previous coaching staff.

The Mariners parted ways with four among that group, and the club has already agreed to terms with a new hitting coach, CJ Gillman, as MLB.com reported on Friday.

Espada, 51, was Seattle’s other finalist, having been made available as his contract was not renewed earlier this month to return as Astros manager.

He’d been in that role for the past three seasons, leading Houston to AL West titles in 2024 and '26. Before that, he was Houston’s bench coach for six seasons, and he was part of five more division crowns as bench coach (2018-19, 2021-23) -- which included three AL pennants (2019, 2021-22) and a World Series title ('22). He was promoted from bench coach to manager after Baker retired following the '23 season.