The Seattle Mariners are hiring New York Yankees catching coach and field coordinator Tanner Swanson as bench coach, a source confirmed to ESPN on Friday, two days after the club introduced Jason Kanzler as manager.
A native of Washington, Swanson joined the Yankees' coaching staff for the 2020 season after three seasons as minor league catching coordinator with the Minnesota Twins. He was held in high regard within the Yankees' organization for his work with catchers, including current starting catcher Austin Wells who has established himself as a premier defensive catcher after rising through the farm system with questions about his future behind the plate.
Swanson was bench coach for Great Britain in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. In July, he served as acting manager for the Yankees in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays after manager Aaron Boone and bench coach Brad Ausmus were ejected.
His relative lack of experience did not discourage the Mariners from pairing him with Kanzler, who has never managed at any level. Kanzler, 36, had been the Chicago Cubs' director of player development. He was selected to replace Dan Wilson, the longtime catcher who was fired after a disastrous 2026 season.
The New York Post was the first to report the news of Swanson's hiring.