Cubs’ front office loses another key member as Mariners hire farm director Jason Kanzler as new manager

The Cubs’ front office has lost another key member.Not long after assistant general manager Jared Banner left to become the Orioles’ new GM, player-development director Jason Kanzler was hired away as the Mariners’ new manager Tuesday.Kanzler was the Cubs’ farm chief for the last three seasons, a stint that followed a half decade with the Astros, during which he was a coach on the major league staff for two seasons.The 36-year-old Kanzler becomes the second youngest manager in the major leagues, older than only Nationals skipper Blake Butera, who is 34.Whether the Cubs — who started last season with three assistant GMs — fill Banner’s position remains to be seen. But they obviously need to find a replacement for Kanzler as the head of their player-development department.The hires into prominent positions by other clubs show the Cubs had some desirable talent as part of their brain’s trust.But now two key pieces are gone as Jed Hoyer Co. begin an important offseason in which pitching