Royals announce changes to coaching and support staff
A new assistant hitting coach and bullpen catcher are among the changes to the Kansas City Royals' major league coaching and support staffs, the club announced Monday.
The changes:
• Brian Buchanan promoted to assistant major league hitting coach. Buchanan was hitting coach at Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2016.
• Luis Perez named assistant major league strength and conditioning coach/Latin American strength and conditioning coordinator. Perez was Latin America minor league strength and conditioning coordinator in 2016.
• Ryan Eigsti named bullpen catcher. Eigsti, a 15th-round draft pick by the Royals in 2007, spent five seasons in Kansas City’s minor league system, reaching Triple-A Omaha in 2011.
• Sean Bardenett named manual tissue specialist.
• Cody Clark named professional/advance scout. Clark was the team's bullpen catcher the last three seasons.
• Austin Driggers promoted to the Royals' front office in a newly formed sports science coordinator position. Driggers spent the last three seasons as the strength and conditioning coach at Northwest Arkansas.
All other members of the Royals’ major league coaching staff will return for 2017.
