This KC Royals assistant hitting coach has brought fresh approach to batting cage

Kansas City Royals hitting coach Alec Zumwalt knew just the man to call.

After a franchise-worst 106 loss campaign last season, the Royals were plagued with a lackluster offense. Strikeouts were a major issue and the entire offense looked non-competitive at times.

The Royals batted .244 as a team with a 23.3 strikeout percentage in 2023. Six KC players logged 100 or more strikeouts, per FanGraphs.

Change was needed … and quickly.

So Zumwalt and the Royals reached out to Joe Dillon. He was highly recommended after helping develop major-league stars Juan Soto, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner.

Dillon served as a hitting coach for the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies, among other teams. But he was familiar with the Royals’ organization after being selected in the 1997 MLB Draft.

And he also had an existing relationship with Royals manager Matt Quatraro.

“Joe is someone that I have always had just a high regard for,” Zumwalt said. “In all honesty, I wanted to bring Joe on a long time ago. But this was an opportunity where we were able to get him and he’s been tremendous.”

The Royals added Dillon to their coaching staff in November. He joined in an assistant role alongside fellow assistant hitting coach Keoni DeRenne.

KC is among a handful of MLB teams that employ three hitting coaches. The strategy has worked as Dillon has seamlessly integrated into his new role.

“I feel like his bedside manner with the players has been really good,” Zumwalt said. “He’s a positive-energy guy. You know the good thing about him is that he’s completely aligned with the things Keone and I, and our entire hitting department all the way down in the minor leagues, believe in.”

So far, the Royals offense has seen significant growth this season.

Entering Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Royals ranked second in triples (23), 10th in RBIs (381) and 12th in runs scored (393). They have also lowered their strikeout percentage to 19.2% and own a 95 wRC+ (weighted runs created plus) as a team.

Dillon has played a role in KC’s improvement. He works closely with hitters to help improve their swing path through the strike zone. In the batting cages, Dillon offers hitting tips and advice from his perspective.

“I think the more and more we learn about skill acquisition, we can make environments for guys to give them an external cue where they can get in there and execute the drill,” Dillon said. “It lets them know if they are doing it right or not.”

Dillon has utilized different drills to help with each hitter’s swing path. For example, he has a towel drill that helps improve balance when swinging through the strike zone. It’s designed to create a straight-line path to the baseball while keeping the swing plane level.

“It helps me keep my turn tight and use my legs a little bit more,” Royals outfielder MJ Melendez said.

Teammate Garrett Hampson agreed.

“It’s getting shorter to the ball,” Hampson said. “These fastballs are good in the big leagues. So you’ve got to be on time and have a short swing to the ball just to barrel things a little more and to get the barrel through the zone a little easier.”

The Royals have also leaned on Dillon for his previous experience. He played for multiple organizations before playing in Japan for a year.

All of those experiences enable Dillon to better communicate with the players he’s coaching.

“I know what that feels like, whether it’s a Latin player or you know, a player from a different country — I’ve been in their shoes,” Dillon said, alluding to his time in Japan. “It’s like you have some empathy for those guys, and you kind of understand what they’re going through. So I have those experiences to pull on and I think it can help in those situations with those guys.”

As the Royals push toward a finish they hope will include the playoffs, Dillon is excited to help the team forge a path forward. He was an assistant hitting coach on the 2019 Nationals team that won the World Series.

Despite a tough June, Dillon believes the Royals’ offense is in a good spot. He believes this team shares a few traits with that Nationals squad.

“We are seeing young, talented hitters that we saw last year take that next step,” he said. “They are going to have to continue to make adjustments as the league adjusts to them. And that’s pretty much the biggest focus now that they have quite a few at-bats under their belt.”

The Royals hope guys like Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino can help carry the team back to the postseason for the first time since 2015. Dillon is ready to help.

“Whenever you can add a veteran piece like him and how he has come in and been able to make an impact right away, it’s been huge,” Zumwalt said. “I’m thankful we have been able to get him.”

As are the players Dillon is coaching.

“He’s been awesome with me and I have a good relationship with him,” Hampson said. “(We) just trust him with all of our swings and our best interests. He has just been great.”