Trailblazing Giants first MLB team to hire female coach.
1st woman on a majorleague coaching staff
The Giants hired Alyssa Nakken as one of manager Gabe Kapler’s coaches Thursday, making her the first woman to join a majorleague coaching staff.
Nakken, 29, who has been with the Giants since 2014, most recently was responsible for developing, producing and directing healthandwellness initiatives and events.
She began as an intern in the baseball operations department and was assigned to projects related to the amateur draft, international operations and player development.
Mark Hallberg, a teammate of Buster Posey at Florida State who managed last season at Class A SalemKeiser, also was hired as a coach Thursday, completing Kapler’s staff.
Teams are allowed seven coaches in the dugout during games, and neither Nakken nor Hallberg will be in that mix. But each can suit up before games and throughout spring training and travel with the club. The Giants have 13 coaches in all.
“Alyssa and Mark are highly respected members of the organization, and I’m delighted that they will now focus their talents on helping to build a winning culture in the clubhouse,” Kapler said in a statement. “In every organization, environment affects
performance, and baseball clubhouses are no different.
“That’s why in addition to assisting the rest of the coaching staff on the field, Mark and Alyssa will focus on fostering a clubhouse culture that promotes high performance through, among other attributes, a deep sense of collaboration and team.”
The Giants had interviewed another woman, Rachel Balkovec, for a coaching position. Balkovec will be a minorleague hitting coach in the Yankees’ system.
Nakken was a fourtime Academic AllAmerica softball player at Sacramento State and has been a chairperson for the Giants’ Employee Resource Group, which promotes diversity and equity within the organization.
Last month, she was a cowinner of the team’s Sprinkles of Love Award, named in honor of a late front office employee, Anita Sprinkles, and considered the Willie Mac Award of the front office.
Nakken was a first baseman and captain at Sacramento State (200912) and hit .304 with 19 home runs and a schoolrecord 1,265 putouts.
She was named allconference three times and the conference’s 2012 ScholarAthlete of the Year.
“I’m still getting goosebumps,” said Kathy Strahan, Nakken’s coach at Sacramento State. “I always knew she’d do something great, I really did, but didn’t know what because she could do so many things. I think she’ll bring a lot to the organization.
“And as a female, with her intelligence and determination and hunger and drive to excel — I understand some of her responsibility is keeping her fingers on the pulse of the culture — it’s invaluable. She’ll broaden the scope and perspective, and I applaud Gabe for doing this.”
The rest of the Giants’ staff includes Craig Albernaz (bullpen and catching coach), Andrew Bailey (pitching coach), Brian Bannister (director of pitching), Kai Correa (bench and infield coach), Donnie Ecker (hitting coach), Ethan Katz (assistant pitching coach), Dustin Lind (director of hitting/assistant hitting coach), Nick Ortiz (quality assurance coach), Antoan Richardson (first base, outfield and baserunning coach), Justin Viele (hitting coach) and Ron Wotus (third base coach).