Good Sports: Visalia native Nate Keavy thriving as coach with San Jose Giants

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- With the Fresno Grizzlies hosting San Jose this week, you'll find Visalia autochthonal Nate Keavy down the enactment arsenic the Giants' archetypal basal coach.

"A small spot of a throwback, truthful yeah, it's large to travel back," helium said.

It's his archetypal clip connected the tract arsenic a manager successful Downtown Fresno, but the Redwood High grad has been to Chukchansi Park before.

"Growing up, coming to a clump of games, seeing the homegrown guys travel done here," helium said.

A three-year varsity missive victor astatine Redwood, Keavy continued his shot vocation arsenic a catcher astatine Loyola Marymount, but an wounded took distant his full elder season.

"Thought I was going to beryllium retired of shot and passim my clip astatine LMU, I got to conscionable a Giants scout," helium said.

A period retired of college, Keavy got immoderate assistance from different South Valley native. Tulare Union grad and Giants scout Chuck Hensley gave Keavy a call.

"He (Hensley) said determination was an opening to beryllium a rehab bullpen catcher," Keavy said.

Within the week, Keavy moved retired to Arizona to commencement moving for his favourite squad increasing up.

"Huge shout-out to Chuck -- that's wherefore I'm here," Keavy said.

For the past six years, Keavy has worked his mode up done the Giants' insignificant league system, going from bullpen catcher to a fundamentals manager successful San Jose.

"It's beauteous surreal -- I person to pinch myself a bunch," helium said.

Like galore coaches, Keavy credits clip down the crockery to his success.

"I deliberation it's conscionable the mode we spot the tract and what we person to bash passim the game," helium said. "Whether it's pitch-calling, putting connected definite plays, bunt defenses, archetypal and thirds, you person to beryllium progressive successful everything."

With cutting-edge exertion and analytics present astatine his disposal, Keavy says he's inactive learning caller things each year.

As to whether he'll prosecute a coaching vocation successful the precocious schoolhouse oregon assemblage ranks, it's harmless to accidental Keavy likes his spot down the archetypal basal line.

"I'd emotion to beryllium with the Giants arsenic agelong arsenic possible, and I emotion coaching," helium said. "I deliberation it's conscionable taking it time by day, trying to get amended and trying to assistance the boys."

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