Mariners hire Cubs farm chief Jason Kanzler, 36, as manager with no managing experience

The Seattle Mariners named Jason Kanzler, the Chicago Cubs' director of player development, their new manager on Tuesday, the club announced. CBS Sports and ESPN both report that Kanzler, 36, has never managed at any level. He replaces Dan Wilson, who was fired on the last day of the season.

Why Seattle is making a change

The Mariners went 76-86 and finished five games behind in the AL West, per ESPN, in a division the Houston Astros won at .500. A year earlier Seattle won 90 games and reached Game 7 of the ALCS, and ESPN notes it was a popular pick to reach its first World Series in 2026. Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor, in the first year of a $92.5 million contract, all struggled, ESPN reported, and the rotation of Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller posted the sixth-highest ERA in the majors after the All-Star break.

Who Kanzler is

A former outfielder drafted in the 20th round in 2013, Kanzler spent five years in the Astros organization and was a major league coach in 2022 and an assistant hitting coach in 2023, according to ESPN and CBS. The Cubs hired him to run player development in 2024. ESPN credits him with helping develop Pedro Ramirez, Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong. Joe Espada, the former Astros manager, was reportedly the other finalist.

At 36 he will be the second-youngest manager in baseball, older only than Washington's Blake Butera, who is 34, CBS reports. He is the third manager under president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, after Scott Servais (2015-24) and Wilson (2024-26).

What the club said

"Our goal in this process was finding a manager with the ability to challenge all of us to improve," Dipoto said in a statement. General manager Justin Hollander said Kanzler "consistently demonstrated elite leadership skills, high-end content and an ability to connect and partner with players, staff and front office." Kanzler said he and his staff are "excited to access and unlock this team's full potential."

What to watch

A first-time manager is unusual but not unprecedented. CBS points to Aaron Boone, hired by the Yankees in 2018 straight from the broadcast booth with no coaching experience, who has led New York to the postseason eight times in nine seasons. The bet in Seattle is that player development skill transfers to the dugout: the club told ESPN it values his intelligence, intensity and creativity and expects him to help its young players keep developing in the majors. The roster, by ESPN's account, is deep in starting pitching, so the early test is whether the bats rebound. Kanzler has not yet announced his coaching staff in the sources we read.

Follow the club on our MLB schedule and scores pages.

Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports, statements from the Seattle Mariners as quoted by both.