Sac State Grad Alyssa Nakken Becomes First Woman Hired To MLB Coaching Staff
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS13) - The Giants made baseball history Thursday by hiring the first woman to a Major League-level coaching position -- and she's a Sacramento State University grad.
According to MLB.com, the Giants announced the hiring of Major League assistant coaches on Thursday, one of which is Alyssa Nakken, a Woodland native, and former player on Sac State's softball team. She'll be the first person to hold a coaching position on a Major League staff.
The Giants also hired Mark Hallberg, who managed Class A Salem-Keizer in 2019.
Giants manager Gabe Kaper issued the following statement about the hire: "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. 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."
During her time at Sac State, Nakken was a three-time all-conference first baseman and a four-time Academic All-American. She joined the Giants in 2014 as an intern in the baseball operations department. She oversees the organization's health and wellness initiatives.
"This is a historic moment for the San Francisco Giants baseball organization, women in sports, and the Sacramento State softball program," said former Sacramento State head coach Kathy Strahan, who coached Nakken.
Nakken earned a master's degree in sport management from the University of San Francisco.
The Giants now have a total of 13 coaches.
