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Mariners Hire Jason Kanzler as First-Time Manager
Confirmed
In Short: The Seattle Mariners have named Jason Kanzler, 36, their new manager, replacing Dan Wilson.
The Seattle Mariners have named Jason Kanzler, 36, their new manager, replacing Dan Wilson, who was fired after a disappointing 2026 season.
Kanzler, currently the Chicago Cubs' director of player development, will be the second-youngest manager in baseball, older only than Washington Nationals' 34-year-old manager Blake Butera.
Kanzler expressed his excitement about the opportunity, stating, 'I am thrilled to join the Mariners organization and I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running.'
Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said, 'Our goal in this process was finding a manager with the ability to challenge all of us to improve.'
Kanzler's hiring is unusual given his lack of previous managerial experience at any level. However, the Mariners believe he has the mindset, expertise, and communication skills to help the team achieve a championship standard.
The Mariners' decision to hire Kanzler comes after a season where the team, despite high expectations, finished with a 76-86 record and missed the postseason.
Kanzler's role will include diagnosing what went wrong in the 2026 season, particularly the struggles of the team's best players and pitching staff.
General manager Justin Hollander praised Kanzler's leadership skills and ability to connect with players, stating, 'He consistently demonstrated elite leadership skills, high-end content and an ability to connect and partner with players, staff and front office.'
Kanzler's background includes five years in the Houston Astros organization, where he served as a major league coach in 2022 and 2023.
The Mariners' roster is stocked with starting-pitching depth and features superstars like Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, making Kanzler's task of unlocking the team's full potential critical.
What this adds
Kanzler's hiring is a rare move, as he has no previous managerial experience at any level.
What's confirmed
- "I am thrilled to join the Mariners organization and I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running," Kanzler said in a statement.
- "Jason has the mindset, expertise, communication skills, and intensity to help create a championship standard here in Seattle."
- The Mariners have named Chicago Cubs director of player development Jason Kanzler their new manager, the team announced Tuesday.
- "Our goal in this process was finding a manager with the ability to challenge all of us to improve," president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in a statement.
- The Seattle Mariners are hiring a new manager after moving on from Dan Wilson following an underwhelming 2026 season.
- Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said in a statement that Kanzler "consistently demonstrated elite leadership skills, high-end content and an ability to connect and partner with players, staff and front office" throughout the interview process.
What's still developing
- Bringing in a manager with zero previous managerial experience at any level is a rare move, certainly, though it is not unprecedented.
- Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was mentioned as a possibility since he has family in Washington.
- Joe Espada — who is not expected to return to the Houston Astros — was also rumored to be a fit for the Mariners.
- While he does have a proven track record when it comes to serving in important roles for MLB teams, the reality of the situation is that Kanzler's lack of managerial experience will be a talking point.
- The Mariners were linked to multiple other candidates before hiring Wilson.
- The Mariners made it all the way to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series in 2025 and were a popular pick to advance to their first World Series in 2026 but never got it together, ultimately finishing 76-86 and failing to make the playoffs despite playing in a mediocre division.
- Rather than conduct an outside search, the Mariners replaced Servais with Wilson, who had been working as a minor league field coordinator, deciding against giving him an interim tag.
- He will also be tasked with helping to diagnose what went wrong in a season in which almost all of the Mariners' best players struggled offensively and their pitching somehow abandoned them down the stretch.
- Former Astros manager Joe Espada was reportedly also a finalist for the position, but the Mariners valued Kanzler's combination of intelligence, intensity and creativity and believe he will help players continue to develop in the major leagues, which they see as crucial to a roster featuring several up-and-coming young players.