New Giants manager Gabe Kapler has finished rounding out his coaching staff at a robust 13 members. The only returning MLB staffer from the Bruce Bochy years is third base coach Ron Wotus. Of the 12 new hires, the most notable is Alyssa Nakken, who has been hired under the official position of Major League Assistant Coach.
Not only is this a notable hire, but it's historic. Nakken becomes the first woman ever to be a part of an MLB coaching staff.
Nakken is joined by Mark Hallberg as an MLB assistant, which rounds out Kapler's staff.
"In every organization, environment affects performance, and baseball clubhouses are no different," Kapler said (via NBC Sports Bay Area). "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 "clubhouse culture" thing might turn some heads, as the Giants won three World Series titles in the last decade while making four postseason appearances, but they haven't had a winning record since 2016 and have averaged 91 losses in the three seasons since. Players like Buster Posey, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford are vestiges of the dynasty, but most of the rest of the team has been turned over, notably with Madison Bumgarner signing with the Diamondbacks this offseason.
Kapler seems to believe that Hallberg and Nakken can help with the clubhouse based upon his interviews the past month-plus.
Nakken was hired by the Giants as an intern in 2014 and has since worked her way up through the organization to the major-league staff. That's quite an ascent. Kudos to her.
