Kansas City Royals’ numbers are up in Alec Zumwalt’s first month as hitting coach
When Alec Zumwalt took over as Royals hitting coach on May 16, the team owned a collective .225 batting average, among their other low numbers.
In 24 games with Zumwalt on the job, the Royals are up to .237, hitting .252 in that stretch, and their on-base plus slugging percentage of .710 is a 90-point improvement.
The Royals went into Friday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles having scored at least seven runs in each of their last two games. It’s the first time that’s happened since last August. This after being shut out on Monday and Tuesday by the Toronto Blue Jays.
But there’s been no comfort level for Zumwalt, who held several positions in his nine seasons with the Royals organization. He had been serving as the director of hitting performance/player development before taking over in the dugout for hitting coach Terry Bradshaw.
Before that, Zumwalt worked in scouting.
“The truth is, there is no settling into this, especially when you come during the season under those circumstances” Zumwalt said. “It’s go from the very first moment, trying to build relationships with guys, trying to understand what they were doing, what they need to get better at.
“But more than anything, just trying to build a trust around staff.”
An impetus for the hitting performance position was to complement the coaching for promising young players such as MJ Melendez and Bobby Witt Jr. But Zumwalt was prepared for the expanded role.
“Just being involved in spring training the past couple of years, getting to know these guys a little more, understanding the ‘whys’ behind their routines,” Zumwalt said. “Obviously in-season is completely different than spring training with adjustments, and revisiting some conversations we had in spring training has been extremely helpful.”
If there has been an adjustment for Zumwalt, it’s being more in the public eye. He’s been mostly behind-the-scenes since concluding his minor-league playing career.
“I’ve always worked behind the scenes,” Zumwalt said. “When I was advancing, I was a ghost I didn’t exist. Being on the minor-league side is so different than being in major leagues. I don’t love anything that has to do with myself from that standpoint.
“We as a group are really doing everything we can to prepare these players, these hitters, to go out there and win and build something special here.”
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 6:43 PM.