Alyssa Nakken is no stranger to making history, having done so in the past.
As part of the Giants’ postseason exhibition against the A’s on July 20, 2020, Nakken took her place in the first-base coaching box during the final innings of a game, becoming the first woman in Major League Baseball history to do so.
On April 12, 2022, she repeated the feat, becoming the first woman in Major League Baseball history to coach on the field during a regular-season game when she took over at first base for Antoan Richardson, who had been ejected from the game.
While it may take a while, some things are worth the wait: Nakken was hired as a member of the Giants’ coaching staff in January 2020, though she wouldn’t officially take the field until the Giants’ game against the Padres on Tuesday night.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Nakken, who will blow your mind:
What is the identity of Alyssa Nakken?
Nakken, who joined the Giants’ coaching staff in January 2020, made history by becoming the first woman to hold the position of coach on an MLB staff. While Nakken’s official title is assistant coach, she had the opportunity to coach first base for a few innings during the Giants’ final exhibition game against the Athletics on July 20, 2020, despite her official title being assistant coach.
Nakken is no stranger to the first base box, having coached there during intrasquad games in the years leading up to the current season. She collaborates closely with Richardson, who oversees outfield and baserunning training.
Following her entrance onto the field on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, Nakken made history by becoming the first woman to coach on-field during a regular season game at the Major League Baseball level.
Afterwards, she expressed her belief that “people are able to see, not just women,” but “young men, men, young girls, women, everybody can just see that there are a lot of opportunities in baseball,” she explained. “It’s not just in baseball, either. I believe that we can sometimes limit ourselves to thinking about what we could do — at least, that has been my experience in the past. “I never imagined that I would be able to pull off something like this.”
Prior to joining the Giants’ coaching staff, Nakken spent six years working in the San Francisco Giants’ baseball operations department, where she aided with the team’s health and wellness programmes and served in a variety of roles throughout the front office and organisation. She graduated with honours from the University of San Francisco with a master’s degree in sports management in 2015.
Nakken is also a well-known athlete in her own right, having competed in the Olympics. Nakken was a three-sport standout in high school, and she was named to the All-Pacific Coast Softball Conference team each of her four years at Sacramento State, including a first-team nod in 2009. She graduated from Sacramento State in 2009. During her time with the Hornets, she batted.304 while playing first base and hitting 19 home runs.
According to Nakken, who stated in February 2020, “I feel a great sense of responsibility” (via MLB.com). “Coaching, I didn’t see any of it. This position has been kept under wraps for quite some time. I’m extremely excited to be in this position because of the challenges it will bring and the opportunity it will provide to make a difference for this organisation that I adore.
“But I’m also excited that now girls can see that there is a job on the field in baseball,” says the pitcher. The whole thing is really cool.”
Nakken is at the forefront of a women’s baseball revolution that includes Rachel Balkovec, the minor league manager for the New York Yankees, Rachel Folden, the hitting instructor for the Chicago Cubs, and former Cardinals minor league coach Tina Whitlock.