Mariners in process of hiring Tanner Swanson as bench coach

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

The Seattle Mariners are in the process of hiring Tanner Swanson as their next bench coach, according to information provided in the coaching-staff update. The move would add Swanson to the Major League staff under new manager Jason Kanzler, as Seattle continues to build out its team following the end of the regular season.

The Mariners have not confirmed the hire publicly. The pending decision is significant because a bench coach typically serves as a key on-field strategist and staff coordinator, working alongside the manager and other coaches to manage daily game operations and in-game adjustments.

Swanson is a Washington state native who graduated from Central Washington University. Prior to the Mariners’ reported interest, he was on the New York Yankees Major League staff from 2020 to 2026, where he held multiple roles including director of catching beginning in 2020 and Major League field coordinator starting in 2024.

In the same staff update, Seattle’s projected change at bench coach is tied to Manny Acta. Swanson would be set to replace Acta, who had been Seattle’s bench coach until the organization made several coaching changes at the conclusion of the regular season.

Seattle’s offseason coaching turnover also included parting ways with three members of former manager Dan Wilson’s staff: infield coach Perry Hill, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and first-base coach Eric Young Jr. Those departures mark a broader reset of the coaching group rather than a single-position adjustment.

The bench-coach opening comes as the Mariners reshape their offensive and development responsibilities as well. The update indicates that CJ Gillman, who served as Seattle’s Minor League hitting coordinator from 2022 to 2025, will take over as the club’s lead hitting coach, though the team has not confirmed that hire either.

The information provided also links Swanson’s recent work with the Yankees’ catching development. According to the reported overview, New York led MLB in catcher framing runs since 2020, with the same update placing New York 11th in blocks above average during that span.

While the Mariners are reportedly moving toward finalizing Swanson’s role, the only clear, confirmed fact from the update itself is that the organization had not confirmed either the bench-coach hiring or the lead hitting-coach hiring at the time of the information provided. That means the coaching staff changes remain conditional until Seattle makes an official announcement.

For Mariners fans and the organization, the practical impact depends on how quickly Seattle finalizes the hires and how the incoming coaches align with manager Jason Kanzler’s day-to-day approach. As the team’s bench and hitting responsibilities are central to in-game decision-making and offensive instruction, the staff composition will shape how Seattle prepares its pitchers, catchers, and position players through the coming season.

Research gap to close: confirmation is still required from the Mariners on Tanner Swanson’s appointment as bench coach and on CJ Gillman’s appointment as lead hitting coach, including official start dates and reporting duties once the club formally announces the final staff.