Kanzler joins Mariners as second youngest manager in MLB

The Chicago Cubs have lost another key member of their front office.

Seattle general manager Jason Kanzler was hired as the Mariners' new manager on Tuesday. This move follows the recent departure of assistant general manager Jared Banner, who joined the Baltimore Orioles as their general manager.

Kanzler served as the Cubs' player-development director for the past three seasons. Before joining Chicago, he spent five years with the Houston Astros, including two seasons as a major league coach. At age 36, he is now the second youngest manager in Major League Baseball. Only Blake Butera, the 34-year-old Washington Nationals manager, is younger.

The team now faces the task of replacing Kanzler in the player-development department. The organization also has an open question regarding the vacancy left by Banner, as the club began last season with three assistant general managers.

General manager Jed Hoyer and his staff enter an important offseason with pitching as the primary focus. This focus extends beyond acquiring external talent to include evaluating how the club develops pitching in the minor leagues, an area previously overseen by Kanzler.