A mechanical gripper mechanism for transporting and handling storage devices is provided. In one example, the gripper mechanism includes a pair of opposing gripper fingers rotatably mounted to the picker frame, each having a distal end adapted to engage opposite minor side surfaces of a storage device. The opposing gripper fingers are further interconnected by corresponding geared surfaces such that the gripper fingers rotate together. In one example, the proximal ends of the gripper fingers include geared surfaces that are directly coupled to rotate the gripper fingers together.