The Seattle Mariners have hired Tanner Swanson as bench coach and CJ Gillman as hitting coach for new manager Jason Kanzler, the team announced on Monday.
Swanson has spent seven years on the major league coaching staff of the New York Yankees. Gillman joins a major league bench for the first time, returning to the Mariners’ organization after a year as director of hitting for the Washington Nationals. Gillman previously spent four years as Seattle’s minor league hitting coordinator.
“I am excited to have Tanner and CJ join our coaching staff,” Kanzler said in a statement. “Both individuals bring an exceptional understanding of the game and skill sets that I am confident will help maximize the talent on our roster.”
The backstory:
Swanson, 44, is a native of Roslyn and graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in physical education and school health while playing on the baseball team.
Swanson began coaching in the collegiate ranks, including five years as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Washington from 2013-17. He served as minor league catching coordinator for the Minnesota Twins from 2018-19 before joining the Yankees in 2020 as their director of catching. Swanson oversaw catching throughout the Yankees’ organization and also served as a quality control/catching coach on Aaron Boone’s coaching staff.
The last three seasons, Swanson has been New York’s field coordinator and director of catching.