McKinley Transitions to Mariners, getzelman Takes Helm at Nevada
Jake McKinley is leaving his position โas head baseball coach at the University of โฃNevada to join the Seattle Mariners’ major league staff. He will be taking on a role focused on player progress and strategic analysis, drawn to the Mariners’ strong personnelโ and โorganizationalโ culture. mckinley described the Mariners as a “no-ego institution,” โa key factor in his โฃdecision, stating he wouldn’t have left Nevada for just any major league opportunity. โคThe Mariners narrowly missedโ a World Series berth in 2023, falling just short ofโ the American โLeague title.
McKinley emphasized his belief that โฃthe skills honed in college baseball โค- resourcefulness and โcreativity – translate well to the professionalโข level. He acknowledged feeling unpreparedโค for โคthe jump, joking, “I’m not,” but expressed confidence in โคhisโ ability to contribute due toโฃ the Mariners’ adaptive approach andโค his versatility.
During his three seasons at Nevada, McKinley dramatically improved theโ program’s performance. Heโข inherited a team depleted by transfers and guided them โคfromโค 20 wins in โhis first season (2022) to 25 in his second and a program-best 34 โwins inโ his third (2024), culminating in a Mountain West regular-season title.
McKinley credited the loyalty of the Nevada community โand hisโ players for the program’s turnaround. He noted the dedication of players who chose to remain with the team despite having transferโ opportunities, fosteringโข a close-knit,โค “old-school” team dynamic.
Nevada Athletic Director Stephanie Rempe praised McKinley’s work ethic, care for his players, and dedication to development. “He just does everything right,” she said.
Replacing McKinley will be Jordan getzelman, who previously served as Nevada’s hitting โคcoach โand recruiting coordinator for the past three seasons. Getzelman played for McKinley atโค Menlo Collegeโฃ and has worked alongside him at several other institutions, including a stint with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. McKinley expressed strong support for Getzelman, comparingโค the current Nevada roster to that of Murray State, a mid-majorโ team that reached the 2023 College World Series.
McKinley highlightedโฃ theโ personal satisfaction he derives from seeing โhis formerโ players and colleaguesโ succeed, calling getzelman’s promotion a “metaphorical paycheck”โข in the profession. He expressed confidence that Getzelman โwill continue the program’s โคpositive trajectory.
