Nakken departs from SF, joins player development staff with Guardians

Alyssa Nakken, who broke barriers by becoming the first full-time female coach in Major League history, is leaving the Giants to join the Guardians organization, a source confirmed to MLB.com on Thursday.

Nakken, 34, is expected to take on a player development role in Cleveland, where she’ll reunite with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Her departure was first reported by 95.7 The Game producer Steven Rissotto.

Nakken was hired to serve as an assistant coach on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in January 2020, and she held the role for five seasons, working primarily on outfield and baserunning instruction with the Giants. She made history by becoming the first woman to coach on the field during a Major League game on April 12, 2022, when she filled in for then-first-base coach Antoan Richardson, who was ejected during a matchup with the Padres at Oracle Park.

A former standout softball player at Sacramento State University, Nakken interviewed for the Giants’ managerial opening after Kapler was dismissed at the end of the 2023 season, though the club ultimately chose to bring in a more veteran skipper in Bob Melvin. Nakken continued to serve on Melvin’s staff this season, though she missed most of Spring Training and the majority of road trips after giving birth to her daughter, Austyn, in January.

The Giants have lost several members of their coaching staff this offseason, with Bryan Price choosing to step down as pitching coach and hitting coaches Justin Viele and Pedro Guerrero leaving to join the Rangers and Marlins, respectively. San Francisco promoted J.P. Martinez to replace Price, but the club is continuing to search for another hitting coach to work alongside Pat Burrell in 2025.