Mariners name Cubs development director Jason Kanzler as manager

The Seattle Mariners have hired Jason Kanzler, the director of player development for the Chicago Cubs, to serve as their new manager. The announcement was made on Tuesday, concluding a search that began after the team dismissed Dan Wilson following the end of the 2026 season. Kanzler has no previous experience managing a team at any level of professional baseball.

Jerry Dipoto, the president of baseball operations, explained the reasoning behind the selection in a statement. "Our goal in this process was finding a manager with the ability to challenge all of us to improve," Dipoto said. He added that Kanzler possesses the mindset and communication skills necessary to establish a championship standard in Seattle. The executive also noted that the candidate brings the intensity required for the role.

Kanzler is 36 years old, which makes him the second-youngest active manager in the league. The only manager younger than him is Blake Butera of the Washington Nationals, who is 34. While hiring a first-time manager is unusual, it has occurred before. In 2018, the New York Yankees hired Aaron Boone, who had worked in broadcasting without prior coaching or managerial experience. Boone has since led New York to the postseason eight times in nine seasons.

Kanzler expressed his enthusiasm for the new position in a statement. "I am thrilled to join the Mariners organization and I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running," he said. He described the team as having immense talent across all facets of the game and said his coaching staff is eager to unlock that potential.

Although this is his first managerial role, Kanzler has worked on major-league staffs previously. He served as a major-league coach for the Houston Astros in 2022 and as their assistant hitting coach in 2023. He also coached within the Astros farm system before joining the Cubs organization in 2024 to oversee player development. Reports indicate that former Astros manager Joe Espada was the other finalist for the Seattle job.

The Mariners finished the 2026 season with a 76-86 record, placing them five games behind the leader in the American League West. This result followed a strong 2025 campaign where the team reached Game 7 of the American League Championship Series and was five outs away from a World Series berth. Kanzler will be the third manager to lead the team since Dipoto took over baseball operations in September 2015, following Scott Servais and Wilson.