Giants complete Gabe Kapler's Major League coaching staff with additions of Mark Hallberg and Alyssa Nakken as assistant coaches
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The San Francisco Giants announced today that they have added Mark Hallberg and Alyssa Nakken as Major League Assistant Coaches, completing Manager Gabe Kapler’s coaching staff for the 2020 season.
“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. “In every organization, environment affects performance, and baseball clubhouses are no different. 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.”
Hallberg served the past two seasons in player development system, as the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes’ Manager in 2019 and Fundamentals Coach in 2018. He was drafted in the ninth round (283rd overall) of 2007 amateur player draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of Florida State and played two years at the University of Illinois – Chicago and his junior year at Florida State. After his playing days in Arizona’s minor league system, he spent four seasons an assistant coach with the Orleans Firebirds in the Cape Cod League.
Hallberg also served the past six years as a teacher/administrator at Dhahran High School in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (two years) and most recently worked for the American School of Dubai (Dubai, UAE, four years). He holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and BS in Health and Human Performance.
Nakken, a four-time Academic All American softball player for Sacramento State, joined the Giants in 2014, and is currently responsible for developing, producing and directing a number of the organization’s health and wellness initiatives and events, including coordinating the Giant Race series. She joined the organization in 2014 as an intern in the baseball operations department where she worked on a variety of special projects related to the amateur draft, international operations and player development. She currently chairs the Giants’ first Employee Resource Group — the San Francisco Giants’ Women’s Network “Momentum,” responsible for supporting an organizational culture that celebrates and promotes diversity and equity within the organization. Last month, Nakken was nominated by her peers and was co-awarded with the 2019 Sprinkles of Love Award. Named in honor of late front office employee Anita Sprinkles, the award is considered the “Willie Mac Award” of the Giants front office and recognizes individuals for ethics, professionalism and humanitarianism.
Prior to joining the Giants, Nakken served as the Chief Information Officer for the University of San Francisco baseball team. She played first base for the Sacramento State Hornets from 2009-2012 and was a three-time all-conference selection, four-time Academic All American, four-time Commissioner’s Honor Roll member and the 2012 conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Nakken started 184 games for the Hornets and was a career .304 hitter, ranking among the program’s top six players in six different Division 1 era categories, including home runs (19). Her 1,265 putouts are the most in school history, and she also ranks third with 115 runs scored.
Nakken earned her Master’s Degree in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco in 2015 and her B.S. from Sacramento State University in 2012.
Kapler’s coaching staff includes Craig Albernaz (Bullpen/Catching Coach), Andrew Bailey (Pitching Coach), Brian Bannister (Director of Pitching), Kai Correa (Bench/Infield Coach), Donnie Ecker (Major League Hitting Coach), Mark Hallberg (Assistant Major League Coach), Ethan Katz (Assistant Pitching Coach), Dustin Lind (Director of Hitting/Major League Assistant Hitting Coach), Alyssa Nakken (Assistant Major League Coach), Nick Ortiz (Quality Assurance Coach), Antoan Richardson (First Base/Outfield/Baserunning Coach), Justin Viele (Major League Hitting Coach) and Ron Wotus (Third Base Coach).
Coaching Staff Pronunciation Guide
Craig Albernaz – al-burr-nahz
Mark Hallberg – hall-burg
Alyssa Nakken – nack-in
Justin Viele – vee-lee