Seattle, Washington: Mariners Name Jason Kanzler, 36, as Manager After 76-86 Season

The Seattle Mariners have hired Jason Kanzler as their manager, the club announced on Tuesday. Kanzler, 36, comes from the Chicago Cubs, where he had been director of player development since 2024, leading the minor league system, its players and its coaching staff.

Kanzler replaces Dan Wilson, whose tenure ended after a 76-86 season that began with World Series hopes. Seattle won the American League West in 2025 and reached Game 7 of the AL Championship Series, falling one win short of the first World Series appearance in club history. The Mariners remain the only major league team that has never reached the World Series.

The hire is a bet on development. Kanzler has never managed a club at any level. He will be the second youngest manager in baseball, behind Washington manager Blake Butera, who is 34. He is the third straight first time manager hired by president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto in 11 years in Seattle, after Scott Servais and Wilson.

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

Kanzler said in a statement: "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."

A coaching path through Houston and Chicago

Drafted by the Twins in the 20th round in 2013 out of the University at Buffalo, Kanzler played three seasons as a minor league outfielder. USA Today noted he is the first major league manager named Jason. After his playing career, he taught high school chemistry and physics in Katy, Texas, before Houston hired him in 2019 as hitting coach for its High-A club at Fayetteville.

He worked as a minor league hitting coach in the Astros system from 2019 through 2021, then joined the big league staff in 2022 and 2023, as assistant hitting coach in his final season. Houston won the World Series in 2022. In Chicago, his development run coincided with outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong emerging as one of the top players in the game.

The search started wide. The Seattle Times reported the club began with 30 to 40 names, and MLB.com reported the list came down last week to Kanzler and former Astros manager Joe Espada. Three other candidates, Jeff Banister, A.J. Ellis and Walker McKinven, were also interviewed, according to reporting cited by MLB Trade Rumors.

What went wrong in 2026

Seattle won 90 games and its first division title in 24 years in 2025, then backslid to third place in a weak AL West that Houston won at 81-81. The Associated Press reported that injuries and regression by the bullpen and several top hitters drove the fall. Cal Raleigh, the 2025 MVP runner-up, batted .182 with 23 home runs and 69 RBIs. Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor had career worst seasons, and Seattle scored 664 runs, the third fewest in the majors.

General manager Justin Hollander said the club believes Kanzler can lead the team back to the postseason. "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," Hollander said. Kanzler inherits established stars and young talent, including Gold Glove second baseman Cole Young, Colt Emerson and Lazaro Montes.