Mariners' New Manager Hires Secret Weapon: Coding Skills

The Seattle Mariners introduced Jason Kanzler as their 22nd manager on Wednesday.

He is 36 years old.

He has never managed a big-league game.

And he might be the only manager in baseball who can write code.

Kanzler spent three seasons as the Chicago Cubs' director of player development before getting this job.

Before that, he worked as an assistant hitting coach for the Houston Astros.

He coached under Dusty Baker and AJ Hinch, both World Series winners.

He also spent time around Craig Counsell, a three-time manager of the year runner-up.

But the skill getting the most attention is not baseball.

Kanzler built his own analytics tools from the ground up.

He wrote code to track player performance and development metrics.

This makes him what one analyst called a "bridge" between the front office and the coaching staff.

The Mariners had a communication problem in 2026.

Former manager Dan Wilson was strong on player relationships, according to reports.

But he was not seen as a translator between the data-driven front office and the on-field staff.

Kanzler is expected to fill that gap.

"Not only does he speak the language of talking to minor league and young players, he speaks the language of the front office," one analyst said on the Refuse to Lose Territory podcast.

Kanzler spent 2024, 2025 and 2026 in player development as a director and coordinator.

He knows how the front office thinks because he has worked inside that system.

He also knows what players need because he has coached them.

"He can be the bridge between coaching staff and the front office, between the front office and the players, between the players and the staff as well, and between the majors and the minors," the analyst said.

That is a lot of bridges.

But Kanzler himself says he plans to borrow from everyone he has worked with.

"I think I will be borrowing from many people that I've crossed paths with throughout my life," Kanzler said on Seattle Sports' Wyman and Bob show.

"I got to be in Dusty Baker's dugout under his tutelage and under his guidance. So, he's obviously someone that I'm going to draw from."

He also mentioned AJ Hinch and Craig Counsell as influences.

"I've seen AJ Hinch work, I've seen Craig Counsell work, and I've watched the game and I've seen other managers and how they do things," Kanzler said.

But he does not plan to copy anyone.

"I think ultimately I'm going to develop my own unique style to this," he said.

The goal is simple, he said.

"The ultimate goal is to get the most out of the players and win the most games that we can."

He added that adaptability will be part of his style.

"Part of my style will be adaptability to make sure that that happens."

Kanzler also hinted at a fiery side.

He compared himself to legendary Mariners manager Lou Piniella.

"I will almost assuredly get tossed," Kanzler said.

"I'm not planning to do it on purpose, but it will probably happen."

He admitted he had a habit of getting ejected as a minor league player and coach.

"I had a poor habit as a minor league player of getting tossed every now and then — and (as) a minor league coach," he said.

"I'm sure it'll happen. I'll pick my spots."

He made clear he will not embarrass the city or the game.

"I'm not going to make a fool of myself or of this city, or I'm not going to make an embarrassment of the game," he said.

"But there are appropriate times to stand up for your guys."

The Mariners hired Kanzler after a disappointing 76-86 season in 2026.

Dan Wilson was let go after one full season as manager.

Wilson had taken over midseason in 2024 and led the team to a playoff push.

But the 2026 season fell short of expectations.

The front office decided to go in a different direction.

They chose a manager with a background in both analytics and player development.

That is rare in Major League Baseball.

Most managers come from a playing or coaching background.

Few have worked in front-office analytics roles.

Fewer still can write the code that powers those analytics.

Kanzler's coding skill is not a gimmick, according to those who know him.

He built tools that helped the Cubs evaluate and develop prospects.

He understands what data means and how to explain it to players.

That is the skill the Mariners are betting on.

The team has a young core of players who need development.