Royals announce changes to Major League medical team

KANSAS CITY, MO. (December 10, 2021) – The Kansas City Royals today announced changes to the Major League medical team.

“I’m so proud of our medical team and thankful for their commitment to our players,” said President of Baseball Operations, Dayton Moore. “This opportunity and new structure will allow this very talented staff to continue to grow and keep our medical team among the very best in the game of baseball.”

Nick Kenney has been promoted to director of Major League medical administration, after serving as the head athletic trainer/director of medical services with the Royals for the last 12 seasons. Kenney was selected as a member of the 2012 American League All-Star team, and he and his staff received the Dick Martin Award in 2011 and the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) Major League Training Staff of the Year Award in 2013.

Kyle Turner has been promoted to Major League head athletic trainer, following 12 seasons as the assistant athletic trainer with the Royals. Turner joined the organization in 2007 and served as the minor league medical coordinator through 2009, before joining the Major League staff in 2010. He was selected to serve as an athletic trainer for the All-Star Game in 2018.

Chris DeLucia has been promoted to assistant Major League athletic trainer, after spending the last three seasons on the Royals’ staff as the tissue therapist/assistant athletic trainer. DeLucia previously served as the Royals’ minor league medical coordinator from 2010-18, and as the athletic trainer for the organization’s Double-A affiliate from 2007-09.

Dave Iannicca has been added to the Major League staff as the manual tissue therapist/second assistant athletic trainer. He spent the previous three seasons as the Royals’ minor league medical coordinator, after 12 seasons as the certified athletic trainer at Omaha (2011-18), Wilmington (2008-10) and Burlington (2007). In 2010, Iannicca earned the Carolina League Athletic Trainer of the Year Award and was the athletic trainer in the Arizona Fall League.

Jeff Blum has been promoted to Major League rehab coordinator, following 14 seasons as the team’s physical therapist/rehab director. Blum is currently in his second term as president of the Professional Baseball Physical Therapy Society.

The Royals’ Major League strength and conditioning staff will remain in place, as Ryan Stoneberg will return for his 21st season with the Royals and 11th as the Major League strength and conditioning coach. Luis Perez will also return for his 13th season in the organization and sixth as the club’s assistant strength and conditioning coach/Latin America strength and conditioning coordinator.