Former SF Giants outfield prospect to take over as manager for Eugene Emeralds

Earlier this week, the Eugene Emeralds announced its coaching staff. The staff will be led by former SF Giants outfield prospect Jacob Heyward, who has served as the manager for the Arizona Complex League (ACL) Giants for the past three seasons.

Former SF Giants outfield prospect to take over as manager for Eugene Emeralds

The Emeralds' coaching staff will look a lot different than the one that finished in first place in the Northwest League with an 81-51 record in 2025. Unfortunately, that club lost to the Everett AquaSox in the Championship Series.

Jeremiah Knackstedt had served as manager for the past two seasons in Eugene. Jared Walker and Mario Rodriguez had worked as the hitting coach and pitching coach, respectively.

Despite the success, the Emeralds have turned over much of their coaching staff. Along with Jacob Heyward assuming a new role, Braxton Lee will take over as the new hitting coach and Luis Pino will serve as the new pitching coach. Lee had a brief major league career with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018, and Pino pitched professionally for over a decade, including a six-year stint in the Giants organization. Both Lee and Pino have served in different roles with the Giants in recent years.

Heyward is the younger brother of longtime outfielder Jason Heyward. The younger Heyward was drafted by the Giants in the 18th round of the 2016 draft out of the University of Miami.

The right-handed bat always showed modest power, but a patient approach was the strength in his offensive profile. Across six minor league seasons, he slashed .230/.348/.386 with a 13.7 percent walk rate, 27.7 percent strikeout rate, and .156 ISO.

Heyward also received an invite to play for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League in 2019, where he posted a .717 OPS in 44 plate appearances. That league is often a testing site for new rules that Major League Baseball is considering.

During that season, they had been testing out the automated strike zone. Heyward might hold the hilarious distinction of being the first player to be thrown out of a game for arguing about the automated strike zone.

Heyward's playing career concluded after the 2022 season. He immediately transitioned into coaching. He served as the manager in the ACL for the past three seasons. In 2025, he led the ACL Giants to a 42-18 record but lost to the ACL Angels in the Championship Series.

It was a promising year for the club, and many of the team's top prospects moved up to the San Jose Giants once that season concluded. Heyward will now get a chance to manage a lot of the same prospects that he managed in rookie ball.