Already a pioneer for women in MLB coaching, Alyssa Nakken continues to make history after interviewing for the San Francisco Giants' manager job, according to The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly.
Nakken, 33, is believed to be the first woman to ever formally interview for a managerial position at the MLB level. She was among the first round of the Giants' in-house interviews this past week along with bench coach Kai Correa and third base coach Mark Hallberg.
Hallberg is currently believed to be the in-house favorite, per the San Francisco's Chronicle's Susan Slusser.
Nakken was originally brought to San Francisco's coaching corps as part of Gabe Kapler's 13-person staff that he put together ahead of the 2020 campaign. Kapler was relieved of his duties as manager on Sept. 29.
Since then, Nakken has been working as an assistant coach focusing on the areas of baserunning, outfield instruction and in-game preparation. She was deemed to be a critical piece of the Giants' record-setting 107-win season in 2021 as dugout liaison to pinch hitters.
It was also the year in which the franchise set a major league record for pinch-hitting appearances and hit a record 18 pinch-hit home runs.
Nakken also got the opportunity to coach on the field when she took over the first base coaching box in a 2022 game against the San Diego Padres. First base coach Antoan Richardson had been ejected.
It's been a long and steady rise for Nakken, who joined the organization as an intern in 2014 and worked all over before eventually getting invited to coach. Some of her previous roles included baseball operations, event logistics, business development and coordinating health and wellness initiatives.
A managerial spot is something she has had her eye on ever since becoming a coach.
"Manager and/or bench coach positions are two that my interests gravitate towards at this point in time," Nakken said after completing her first season in 2020.
It's been a landmark few years for women in baseball after Rachel Balkovec completed her second season as manager of the Tampa Tarpons, the New York Yankees' Low-A affiliate.
Ronnie Gajownik, a former softball standout at the University of South Florida, also finished her first season in charge of the Arizona Diamondbacks' High-A Hillsboro Hops.
In the front office, Miami Marlins general manager Kim Ng did a tremendous job in helping lead the ballclub back to the postseason.
