The San Francisco Giants are searching for a new hitting coach after Hunter Mense departed the organization to join the Kansas City Royals, creating another vacancy for manager Tony Vitello to address during the offseason.

Mense is leaving after only one season in San Francisco, where he was brought in last winter to oversee the major league offense. His move to Kansas City also represents a return closer to home for the 42-year-old coach, who grew up in Liberty, Missouri.

The departure gives the Giants another staffing decision to make as they prepare for the 2027 season. Assistant hitting coach Oscar Bernard is currently the only member of San Francisco's hitting staff remaining in that role, although the organization has already begun discussing potential replacements.

Mense arrived in San Francisco with previous major league coaching experience, having spent four seasons as an assistant hitting coach with the Toronto Blue Jays.

His hiring also carried a personal connection to Vitello. The two share a University of Missouri background, where Vitello coached Mense from 2004 through 2006. That relationship made Mense's addition to the Giants staff a familiar pairing for the first-year manager.

However, the opportunity with the Royals offers Mense a chance to work closer to his family. His wife, Nicolette, is employed as a dietitian for the Kansas City Chiefs, making the move a convenient fit geographically.

The hitting coach vacancy is not the only change taking place within San Francisco's coaching and player development structure this offseason.

Christian Wonders, who previously served as an assistant pitching coach, is expected to move into the director of pitching position. The transition will also give him a larger role in the organization's minor-league player development operations.

The Giants are making another adjustment with Frank Anderson, who is expected to move from director of pitching into an assistant pitching coach position on the major-league staff.

Not every member of the pitching staff is expected to change roles. Justin Meccage is anticipated to remain the team's pitching coach, while Jesse Chavez is expected to continue serving as bullpen coach.

The Giants' offseason restructuring comes as the organization works to establish its coaching staff under Vitello. Losing Mense after just one year adds another important position to the club's list of decisions, particularly as San Francisco looks to improve an offense that struggled to consistently produce in 2026.

With Bernard currently remaining in place, the Giants have an internal option already familiar with the organization. However, the club has not finalized how it will replace Mense, leaving the hitting coach position as one of the notable unresolved pieces of its offseason staff planning.