Royals Hire Local Boy To Coaching Staff With Brewers, Mariners Experience

Will this help boost the lineup?

Apr 1, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of the Kansas City Royals logo on seats with complimentary flags for fans before the Opening Day game against the Texas Rangers Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Any changes the Kansas City Royals make to their offense this winter have to be viewed through a positive lens.

Though there were some positive signs in the second half, the Royals had the fifth-worst scoring lineup in the majors this season, and outside of a few key contributors, they struggled to find much of anything in terms of consistency. That resulted in two assistant hitting coaches, Keoni De Renne and Joe Dillon, being let go after the seasons concluded.

While Alec Zumwalt remained on board as the team's primary hitting coach, it was clear the Royals would need some new blood. And on Wednesday, they called upon a local product to help jump-start the offense in 2026.

Royals hire Connor Dawson as assistant hitting coach

Jun 30, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach Connor Dawson (70) participates in infield practice before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

On Wednesday, David Lesky of Inside the Crown reported that the Royals were adding Connor Dawson, the former hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, to the coaching staff for 2026.

Dawson, 32, was an assistant under lead hitting coach Al LeBoeuf in Milwaukee, but he still had four years of experience with a team known for getting the maximum mileage out of its offensive talent, an identity the Royals would surely love to emulate. He previously served as an assistant on the Seattle Mariners staff.

Dawson also played high school baseball at Olathe North High School in Kansas, only a half-hour drive from Kauffman Stadium. He played collegiately at Neosho County Community College before transitioning into a coaching career, beginning in 2015 at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Kansas.

The local roots clearly run deep with Dawson, who now gets to join the coaching staff for his hometown team with seven years of big-league experience under his belt. He'll be tasked with helping this lineup find some power, and there are plenty of reclamation projects to tackle, particularly in the outfield (think MJ Melendez, Nick Loftin, Drew Waters, etc.).

It's unclear if there are more hires coming for the Royals, but there's definitely reason to be excited about Dawson's arrival.

More MLB: Royals Assistant Zach Bove Leaving KC For Division Rival's Pitching Coach Job