Royals Continue Coaching Staff Changes With Addition of Hunter Mense

Kansas City welcomes new assistant hitting coach

Mar 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants hitting coach Hunter Mense before the game against the New York Yankees at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Kansas City Royals are looking to find more success next season than they did in 2026. There are obvious voids that need to be filled throughout the organization. The Royals' offensive production over the past two seasons has been limited, which has led to some big-time decisions this offseason.

This process has already begun. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported Thursday that Kansas City is bringing in Hunter Mense as an assistant hitting coach.

Mense spent the 2026 season with the San Francisco Giants as their hitting coach under manager Tony Vitiello.

This move brings Mense back to his home roots. A native of Liberty, Missouri, Mense attended the University of Missouri before beginning his professional baseball career. Before making his way to San Francisco, Mense spent four total seasons as an assistant hitting coach with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Mense was there from 2022-25, being with the club as it reached the World Series. The experience he has working within a successful major league offense is there.

Kansas City is making several moves to its hitting department. This started when Alec Zumwalt was reassigned from his major league hitting coach duties following the disappointing 2026 season. Mense now joins Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames in the Royals' hitting coach room.

There is a lot that Kansas City needs to fix as it prepares for the upcoming season. The Royals have wasted no time trying to reconstruct their coaching staff. Mense will give Kansas City another experienced voice as the club looks to provide more production and consistency offensively in 2027.