Royals set minor league coaching staffs as spring training nears

The Kansas City Royals finalized their 2026 minor league coaching and development rosters, announcing a series of promotions and new hires that reshape the pipeline heading into spring training. The moves were announced Jan. 16 and mark a notable transition after longtime coach Mike Jirschele retired following more than three decades with the organization.

Patrick Osborn will take the reins as manager of the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, becoming the 20th manager in franchise history. Osborn moves up from his role as Omaha bench coach in 2025 and inherits a staff designed to combine veteran guidance with targeted development resources. His immediate support group includes pitching coach Dane Johnson, hitting coach Bijan Rademacher, assistant pitching coach David Lundquist, and assistant coach Tripp Keister. Athletic trainers James Stone and Amanda Gallone, strength and conditioning coach CJ Mikkelsen, and clubhouse coordinator Mike Brown round out the day-to-day staff.

The Storm Chasers' broader support staff adds depth with Ben Nicholas serving as assistant coordinator for Minor League video and Alyssa Druey joining as a nutrition fellow. Those additions underscore the organization’s emphasis on analytics, video-driven instruction, and sports science at the Triple-A level.

Across the minors, the Royals announced several other managerial changes that carry roster and development implications. Brooks Conrad will lead the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, and Jesus Azuaje returns as manager of High-A Quad Cities. The club also named coaching staffs for its Arizona Summer League and Dominican Summer League teams, mixing returning instructors with several new coaches to expand teaching capacity in summer circuits.

On the operations side, Mitch Maier returns as Director of Player Development, while Rusty Kuntz will serve as special assistant to the general manager. Those front-office roles provide continuity in organizational philosophy and will coordinate with the field staff to align workload, promotion timelines, and skill development priorities for prospects at every level.

For players and local fans, the changes matter now: Omaha gets a familiar internal promotion that should ease the transition from Jirschele’s long tenure, while fresh faces at Double-A and High-A mean new coaching wrinkles for prospects trying to accelerate to the big leagues. Expect spring training to reveal how the Royals will deploy those staffs, where pitching and hitting alignments fall, and which prospects benefit most from the new video and nutrition support.

With camps opening, the organization’s mix of experienced coaches and added support resources sets the stage for a development-focused spring. Keep an eye on how Osborn’s staff implements gameplans at Triple-A and how Maier and Kuntz coordinate player pathways as the season approaches.