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Marcus Thames took his usual perch behind home plate. He stood a few feet from the batting cage for a better view.<\/p>\n
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And he listened.<\/p>\n
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There is a unique sound a bat makes when it comes in contact with a baseball. Solid contact produces a loud \u201cthwack\u201d as the ball leaves the barrel.<\/p>\n
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The Kansas City Royals want to hear that sound consistently in 2026. It\u2019s why Thames and his wealth of Major League Baseball experience were brought to Kansas City in a hitting-coach role.<\/p>\n
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His mission is to help get KC\u2019s offense back on track<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a good listener first,\u201d Thames said. \u201cI just try to see where I can help the player and help the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thames, 48, is no stranger to KC. After a 10-year playing career, much of it with the division-rival Detroit Tigers, he spent multiple seasons as a hitting coach with four organizations. His previous stops include the New York Yankees, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thames has worked with the brightest stars in the game. His Rolodex includes numbers for such MLB standouts as Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Mike Trout. Among others.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thames spent the last two seasons with the White Sox organization. The White Sox saw incremental growth in key areas during his time as a coach, with six hitters belting 10 or more home runs during the 2025 season.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So what\u2019s his secret?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thames said he maintains open communication with players. He said he asks questions and focuses on their given strengths. His goal is to not suggest changes, but rather to elevate a guy\u2019s particular skill-set.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFor me, it\u2019s all about players understanding who they are and dominating their strengths,\u201d Thames said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to work on our weaknesses, but sometimes we forget who we are. And so for me, it\u2019s all about dominating that. After that, it\u2019s just being aggressive in your (strike) zone. Knowing what zone you like to hit and dominate it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Royals have built their roster on pitching and defense. Meanwhile, the team\u2019s hitting has staggered in recent years. The Royals generate much of their offense behind the likes of Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia \u2014 but too often, few others.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The club hopes to expand its offensive acumen this season. The Royals hired Thames and Connor Dawson<\/a> \u2014 from the Milwaukee Brewers \u2014 to join lead hitting coach Alec Zumwalt on the coaching staff.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The trio will work together to build a consistently productive lineup. Thames hopes to draw more punch from the Royals\u2019 hitters.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFor me, it\u2019s not giving the pitcher too much credit,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want them worrying about us. I think when you do that, you\u2019re not on the offensive. You are on the attack. And that means, being on the attack, you are going to lay off bad pitches if you understand who you are in your zone.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n