The Kansas City Royals announced the appointment of Joe Dillon as Assistant Major League Hitting Coach. All other coaches on Manager Matt Quatraro’s staff are expected to return for the 2024 season.
Dillon, 48, was drafted by Kansas City in the 7th round of the 1997 Draft and spent the initial five seasons of his professional career in the Royals organization. Following his selection by Minnesota in the 2001 Rule 5 Draft, he played for five different organizations during his 12-year playing career.
Primarily a second baseman and outfielder, Dillon made his Major League debut with the Marlins in 2005, played with Milwaukee from 2007-08, and spent one season with Tampa Bay in 2009. He also played the 2006 season in Japan and concluded his playing career in 2010 with Triple-A Durham. During the 2010 season, Quatraro was Tampa Bay’s Minor League Hitting Coordinator.
Dillon’s coaching career began in 2014 as the Hitting Coach at Triple-A Syracuse in Washington’s system. From 2016-17, he served as the Minor League Hitting Coordinator for Miami and returned to the Nationals organization in 2018 as the Assistant Hitting Coach, winning a World Series with Washington in 2019. His most recent role was as Philadelphia’s Major League Hitting Coach during the 2020-21 seasons.