Giants hire baseball’s first female coach

In what’s being called a historic move, the San Francisco Giants have hired baseball’s first-ever full-time female coach.

Alyssa Nakken, a former softball player for Sacramento State, has been brought aboard as an assistant coach, the team announced Thursday. The 29-year-old, along with other new hire Mark Hallberg, complete Gabe Kapler’s 13-member coaching team. “Alyssa and Mark are highly respected members of the organization and I’m delighted that they will now focus their talents on helping to build a winning culture in the clubhouse,” said Kapler. “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.”

Although Nakken has worked for the Giants since 2014, her duties as a events coordinator kept her in the office.

Do you think Nakken’s hiring has broken down a barrier? Will we see other women turn up as coaches for other teams?