Alyssa Nakken coaches 1st base for Giants

Player development will be a major theme for the Giants this season, but manager Gabe Kapler is making sure members of his coaching staff have an opportunity to advance their own personal growth as well.

In that spirit, the Giants had Alyssa Nakken, the first full-time female coach on a Major League staff, coach first base in the final innings of the club’s 6-2 win over the A’s in Monday night’s exhibition game at the Coliseum.

“Alyssa did a great job out there at first base today,” Kapler said. “[First-base coach] Antoan [Richardson] stepped up and made sure that Alyssa continued her development as well.”

Nakken, 30, often coached first base during intrasquad games at Oracle Park this summer. Her official title is assistant coach, though she frequently partners with Richardson in overseeing outfield and baserunning instruction for the Giants.

“I feel a great sense of responsibility,” Nakken said in February. “Coaching, I never saw it. This job has kind of been hidden for so long. I'm so excited to be in this role for the challenge and the opportunity to make an impact for this organization that I love. But also, I'm excited that now girls can see there is a job on the field in baseball. It's really cool.”

Nakken played first base for Sacramento State's softball team from 2009-12, recording three All-Conference selections and four Academic All-American nods during her collegiate career. She earned her master’s degree in sport management from the University of San Francisco in 2015. Nakken joined the Giants as a baseball operations intern in 2014, serving in various front-office roles before her historic appointment to Kapler’s coaching staff in January.