Sports · Baseball · 4 hrs ago
Royals Hire Hunter Mense as Assistant Hitting Coach
The Kansas City Royals have hired Hunter Mense as an assistant hitting coach.
Mense will work alongside Marcus Thames, while Connor Dawson will be the team's offensive coordinator.
Mense spent one season as the San Francisco Giants' hitting coach after previously working on the Toronto Blue Jays' major league staff.
He was born in Missouri, played college baseball at the University of Missouri and later coached in the minor leagues.
The Royals' offense had a 98 wRC+ in 2026, a measure of batting production that was below the league average of 100.
The team has struggled offensively for several years and hopes Mense's arrival will help improve its hitting.
The Kansas City Royals are hiring Hunter Mense as an assistant hitting coach, according to reports.
Mense and Marcus Thames will serve as the Royals’ hitting coaches, while Connor Dawson will be offensive coordinator.
The move comes after Mense spent one season as a hitting coach with the San Francisco Giants.
The Royals hit .248/.316/.402, with a 98 wRC+, in 2026.
Mense is 42 and was born in Liberty, Missouri, and played college baseball at the University of Missouri.
- Who
- The Kansas City Royals are hiring Hunter Mense as an assistant hitting coach.
- What
- Mense and Marcus Thames will be the hitting coaches, and Connor Dawson will be offensive coordinator.
- When
- November 5, 2026.
- Where
- Kansas City, Missouri.
- Why
- The Royals have struggled offensively for many years and hope Mense can help improve their hitting.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Mense joined the Toronto Blue Jays’ big-league staff as an assistant hitting coach.
It was reported that Alec Zumwalt would be reassigned as senior director of hitting performance.
Mense worked as a hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants.
The Royals’ hiring of Mense as an assistant hitting coach was reported.
- Age
- 42
- Royals’ 2026 batting line
- .248/.316/.402
- Royals’ 2026 wRC+
- 98
- Previous team
- San Francisco Giants
- Other Royals hitting coach
- Marcus Thames
3 sources
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Further clarification on the Royals’ three-man hitting coach situation: Per source, Hunter Mense will join Marcus Thames as the team’s hitting coaches, while Connor Dawson’s title will be Offensive Coordinator.
Correction: Mense has been hired as KC's assistant hitting coach.
The Royals have hired Hunter Mense as their new hitting coach, sources tell me and @mi_guardado. Mense had been the hitting coach with the Giants.