Washington state native and former Mariners utility man Shawn O\u2019Malley is moving to the other Washington, joining the MLB staff of the Washington Nationals as an assistant hitting coach.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Malley spent the past two seasons as hitting coach for the Tacoma Rainiers, the Mariners\u2019 Triple-A affiliate. He first joined the coaching ranks in 2020 and had stints as hitting coach for two other M\u2019s affiliates: the Single-A Modesto Nuts (2021-22) and Double-A Arkansas Travelers (2023).<\/p>\n
There was buzz around O\u2019Malley this year for his work in Tacoma with Dominic Canzone<\/a> and Tyler Locklear<\/a>, a pair of players who worked their way back to the big leagues in 2025 after time with the Rainiers.<\/p>\n O\u2019Malley was named the 2025 Dave Henderson Minor League Staff Member of the Year<\/a> by the Mariners after helping the Rainiers win the second half Pacific Coast League championship. Tacoma hitters finished fourth in hits (1,455), third in RBIs (885), third in walks (704) and second in on-base percentage (.375) under O\u2019Malley this year.<\/p>\n Rounding out our winners, former Mariner & Rainiers hitting coach Shawn O\u2019Malley earns the Dave Henderson Staff Member of the Year after guiding @RainiersLand<\/a> to a PCL second-half title. #TridentsUp<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udd17 https:\/\/t.co\/ptad0AANF3<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/cCFsobdvKS<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) September 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n O\u2019Malley, who will turn 38 on Sunday, played 124 big league games over three seasons, including 113 with the Mariners combined between 2015 and 2016. He broke into the majors with the Los Angeles Angels in 2014.<\/p>\n A switch-hitting utility player, O\u2019Malley appeared at every position in an MLB game except pitcher, catcher and first base.<\/p>\n Among Mariners fans, O\u2019Malley is likely best known for his performance on Aug. 6, 2016<\/a> against the Angels. On the same night that Ken Griffey Jr. became the first player in M\u2019s history to have his number retired by the team, O\u2019Malley popped a go-ahead, three-run home run with two outs in the seventh inning, lifting the M\u2019s to an important 8-6 victory in the midst of a playoff race.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The homer was O\u2019Malley\u2019s second in a three-day span, and the last of his three career MLB homers.<\/p>\n O\u2019Malley is a Tri-Cities native who was born in Richland and was a star at Kennewick\u2019s Southridge High School. He was a fifth-round pick out of high school by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2006.<\/p>\n The Mariners have also seen the departures this offseason of third base coach Kristopher Negr\u00f3n, who is the new Pittsburgh Pirates bench coach<\/a>, and bullpen coach Tony Arnerich, who is the new Cleveland Guardians bench coach<\/a>. Additionally, M\u2019s assistant general manager Andy McKay was hired by Cleveland to be its field coordinator<\/a>.<\/p>\n Seattle Mariners offseason coverage<\/p>\n \u2022 Mariners sign free agent OF\/1B Rob Refsnyder to one-year deal<\/a>
\u2022 Who is Rob Refsnyder? A close look at Mariners\u2019 new OF\/1B<\/a>
\u2022 Morosi: Refnsyder deal signals M\u2019s have another move coming<\/a>
\u2022 The Mariners could have one of spring training\u2019s biggest stories<\/a>
\u2022 What would a Brendan Donovan trade cost Seattle Mariners?<\/a><\/p>\n
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