Marcus Thames took his usual perch behind home plate. He stood a few feet from the batting cage for a better view.
And he listened.
There is a unique sound a bat makes when it comes in contact with a baseball. Solid contact produces a loud “thwack” as the ball leaves the barrel.
The Kansas City Royals want to hear that sound consistently in 2026. It’s why Thames and his wealth of Major League Baseball experience were brought to Kansas City in a hitting-coach role.
His mission is to help get KC’s offense back on track.
“I’m a good listener first,” Thames said. “I just try to see where I can help the player and help the organization.”
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.
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.
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.
So what’s his secret?
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’s particular skill-set.
“For me, it’s all about players understanding who they are and dominating their strengths,” Thames said. “We’re going to work on our weaknesses, but sometimes we forget who we are. And so for me, it’s all about dominating that. After that, it’s just being aggressive in your (strike) zone. Knowing what zone you like to hit and dominate it.”
The Royals have built their roster on pitching and defense. Meanwhile, the team’s 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 — but too often, few others.
The club hopes to expand its offensive acumen this season. The Royals hired Thames and Connor Dawson — from the Milwaukee Brewers — to join lead hitting coach Alec Zumwalt on the coaching staff.
The trio will work together to build a consistently productive lineup. Thames hopes to draw more punch from the Royals’ hitters.
“For me, it’s not giving the pitcher too much credit,” he said. “We want them worrying about us. I think when you do that, you’re 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.”
In particular, the Royals want more production from young slugger Jac Caglianone. He made his MLB debut to much fanfare in 2025 after showing elite power in the minor leagues. At Triple-A Omaha, he had hit six home runs in his first 10 games.
However, Caglianone’s first stint in the majors didn’t go as planned. He batted just .157 with seven homers and 18 RBIs.
Thames hopes to help Caglianone turn around his fortunes this spring. If he can do so, the Royals’ offense will collectively take a major step forward.
“I’ve had guys like him with talent (like that),” Thames said. “Sometimes when you come to the big leagues that first year, you feel like you didn’t have success and start panicking. You forget who you are and why you are there.
“But I want him to be the best version of himself. Just being here with (Zumwalt) and helping unlock that out of him. He is a game-changer, if we can get him in the right spots and stuff like that.”
Thames has already drawn praise in the clubhouse. His history as a decade-long major-leaguer is a plus. He knows the American League Central and what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
“We’re off and running,” Zumwalt said. “Guys have been great to, you know, ask Marcus a lot of questions. He brings a lot of experience, and it’s been a really good experience.”
The Royals made several moves to boost their offense this offseason. They acquired Isaac Collins from the Brewers and signed Lane Thomas and Starling Marte in free agency. Each outfielder brings a different element to the roster.
The Royals are using spring training to get acquainted, and re-acquainted, with one another ahead of this year’s season opener. The team’s goals haven’t changed: The Royals want to return to the playoffs.
And they would like to go further than they did in 2024.
“Nothing has changed in a sense that we know what the end-goal is,” Zumwalt said. “Again, it’s another year under these guy’s belts. It’s how can we take that next step forward.”
Thames is excited to be part of the turnaround. He has been vocal during camp about staying consistent in every facet of the game — from batting practice to pre-game work to the moment before you step into the batter’s box.
And the players he’s coaching have been receptive to the message.
“I think when we get close to the season, it’s gonna be a bit more to talk to him and see what he’s got for me,” Perez said. “Just to see how it’s going to help me this year.”
Thames believes the Royals can reach new heights in 2026. He is ready to help them develop and hopefully get off to a strong start.
“I personally think there are a lot of guys that are going to have some success,” Thames said. “I think they’re hungry. Just listening to the group speak and just watching them work, I think there’s going to be a couple of guys that take some leaps and bounds forward.”
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Jaylon Thompson covers the Royals for The Kansas City Star. He previously covered the 2021 World Series and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.