Nevada Baseball Coach Jake McKinley Lands Mariners Field Coordinator Role
A surprise phone call just before Thanksgiving propelled Nevada baseball coach Jake McKinley into the major leagues, as he accepted a position as the Seattle Mariners’ field coordinator.
Just a week before the Thanksgiving holiday, Nevada baseball coach Jake McKinley received an unexpected phone call from a 619 area code – a number not recognized in his contacts. Initially dismissing it as spam, McKinley answered the call out of curiosity. On the other end was Justin Hollander, the general manager of the Seattle Mariners, inquiring about McKinley’s interest in a potential job with the organization. “I thought it was spam, honestly,” McKinley admitted.
Within 48 hours, McKinley was offered the role of major-league field coordinator, a swift turn of events that required a quick decision. He had spent three years building the Nevada baseball program, culminating in a Mountain West regular-season title last May, and now faced the prospect of leaving that foundation behind. McKinley, who had been discreetly tipped off about the Mariners’ interest by industry sources despite having no prior relationship with Hollander, ultimately accepted the position, driven by his long-held ambition to manage a big-league team.
“I’ve always thought it’d be really cool to manage in the major leagues, especially given my background as a small-college player that was never drafted,” McKinley explained, reflecting on his own playing days at NAIA school Bethany University in Santa Cruz, California. “Where the industry is right now, that’s very possible. And I know there’s only 30 of those jobs in the world, and they’re very hard to get. But when you get with a club like the Mariners with a roster that’s as talented as theirs with the people they have, it suddenly feels like it could happen.”
The decision to leave Nevada was not easy. McKinley described informing his players as one of the most difficult conversations of his career. “Top-five worst conversations I’ve ever had,” he said. “It was terrible. There’s no easy way to do it.” He emphasized to his team that the opportunity represented a chance for growth and a pathway to potentially managing at the highest level. Despite the bittersweet departure, McKinley expressed confidence that his players would understand and appreciate the move. He had specifically envisioned the 2026 team as a championship contender, making the timing particularly challenging.
McKinley’s career trajectory includes a previous stint with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he rose to the position of vice president of player development. However, the Mariners role represents a shift from a front-office position to a hands-on coaching role within the major-league staff. He likened the position to a “chief of staff” role, working closely with Mariners manager Dan Wilson and bench coach Manny Acta.
“Major-league field coordinator is essentially the person that runs the day-to-day operation for the team,” McKinley clarified. “So, I’ll run spring training, tying all these entities together, building schedules, overseeing the coaching protocols. And then with the day-to-day in the big leagues, it’s kind of the same thing. You’re running the day-to-day operation. Obviously you have your manager and your bench coach that handle things like media, locker room, culture, but I do a lot of the heavy lifting as it relates to our process and making sure we are training and doing things that are aligned with the Mariners way but also communicating to the players strategy. ‘Hey, this is what we’re gonna do today. This is how we’re gonna try to beat this opponent.'”
The Mariners’ organizational culture played a significant role in McKinley’s decision. He described it as a “no-ego organization,” a factor that distinguished them from other major-league teams. The Mariners’ near-miss in reaching the World Series last October – falling just one win and a few innings short of the American League title – further solidified his belief in the organization’s potential.
McKinley believes his skills, honed through years of experience, will translate well to the major-league level. He acknowledged the talent disparity but emphasized the fundamental principles of baseball remain constant. “I was added to the team chat today, and you scroll through it and at the end of the day, it’s just baseball,” he said. “It’s 27 outs, the bases are 90 feet, the mound is 60 feet, 6 inches.” He also highlighted the creativity required in college coaching, a skill he believes will be valuable in maximizing resources at the professional level.
McKinley inherited a Nevada program that had been depleted by transfers in 2022, but he steadily rebuilt it, increasing the team’s win total from 20 to 25 to 34 over his three seasons – the most victories since 2016. This culminated in a Mountain West regular-season title in his third year, a remarkable turnaround from a last-place finish in his first. He credited the community for their unwavering support, even during the challenging initial period.
Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe expressed her sadness at McKinley’s departure, praising his dedication and work ethic. “I love Jake McKinley,” Rempe said. “He just does everything right. He does everything you ask him to do. He cares, he works hard, he develops. You watch him talk in front of his team and it’s pretty cool.”
Jordan Getzelman, McKinley’s top assistant, will assume the role of head coach at Nevada. Getzelman, who previously played for McKinley at Menlo College, has been a consistent presence throughout McKinley’s coaching career. McKinley expressed his confidence in Getzelman’s ability to lead the program, comparing the current Wolf Pack roster to that of Murray State, a mid-major team that reached the College World Series last season.
“Some of the metaphorical paychecks you get in this profession are when people you coach get to do great things,” McKinley said. “I’ve been with Jordan as his head coach when he played, he was my volunteer assistant at William Jessup, he was with me in the Brewers organization as an assistant hitting coordinator, he was here with me at Nevada. I was the best man in his wedding. It just means so much when you see people that you coach, people that you work with go on to do great things. I’m just so happy for him. He deserves it. They’re not gonna skip a beat. He’s gonna be fantastic.”
Ultimately, McKinley’s move to the Seattle Mariners represents a significant step in his career, fueled by a lifelong dream and a belief in the organization’s potential. He leaves behind a Nevada program poised for continued success under his successor, carrying with him the lessons learned and the relationships forged during his time with the Wolf Pack.
