Humboldt Crabs Coaching Staff
Manager
Jeff Giacomini #33
Jeff Giacomini, a former Crab and 3-time MVP (2007-2009), was announced as the ninth manager in Crabs history on Nov. 7, 2025. Giacomini, who is a Ukiah High graduate, played two years professionally with the Wichita Wingnuts in 2010 and the Calgary Vipers in 2011 and was inducted into the Crabs Hall of Fame in 2014. Giacomini returned to the Crabs in 2012-2013 as an assistant coach under Matt Nutter and Robin Guiver.
Giacomini went on to coach Eureka High School’s JV baseball team for four successful years before moving up to coach the Loggers’ Varsity baseball team, taking over for fellow Crabs alumni and Crabs pitching coach Eric Giacone in 2017-2018, and was rehired in 2020-2021. The Loggers won back-to-back Big 5 championships as well as back-to-back H-DNL tournament championships under Giacomini posting a combined 38-16 record for 2017-2018 seasons.
He also founded and launched a semi-pro baseball team the Humboldt B-52s in 2014 with some of his fellow Crabs Alumni.
He will be announcing his 2026 coaching staff early in the spring.
Assistant Coach
John Bryant #21
Bryant was an Assistant Baseball Coach at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. He was an Assistant at OCC for the past 3 seasons. Previous to being at OCC, Bryant was at Santa Ana College for 17 years. Both schools compete in the Prestigious Orange Empire Conference, which consistently is the most competitive Community College Baseball Conference in the state of California.
Bryant played his college ball at Fullerton (National Champions in 1984) and played for the Cincinnati Reds Double A team (1984-87). In addition to his coaching duties, Bryant is a special education teacher at Loara High School.
Assistant Coach
Matt Tomlin
Tomlin has been connecte with the Crabs his whole life, and now returns to the Humboldt Crabs as an assistant coach. A Crabs batboy from 1985 to 1991, Tomlin pitched for the club from 1995 to 1998. At Scottsdale Junior College, he helped lead his team to a third-place finish at the 1997 Junior College World Series and earned All-Tournament honors with eight scoreless innings pitched. Tomlin went on to pitch at the University of Nebraska in 1998 before playing professionally with the Springfield Capitols of the Frontier League in 1999. He was inducted into the Crabs Hall of Fame in 2024.
Tomlin has also built one of the most accomplished coaching resumes in California high school athletics. He currently serves as Athletic Director and head coach of football, girls basketball, and baseball at St. Bernard’s Academy, where he has made CIF history as the only coach to win state titles in multiple sports. His championship success includes football state titles in 2015 and 2019 and a girls basketball state title in 2024, along with six NorCal championships across three sports. Tomlin was named the 2022 MaxPreps California High School Baseball Coach of the Year and the 2024 Cal-Hi Sports Division IV Girls Basketball Coach of the Year, further cementing his reputation as one of the region’s premier coaches.
Assistant Coach
Tommy Gale
Coach Gale has been a Humboldt County resident since 2018, when he moved to the area to be closer to nature. He discovered his love of Humboldt during the summer of 2010 when he pitched and played outfield for the Crabs. During this time, Coach Gale played Division 1 baseball for San Jose State University and, following his college career, was an all-star player for the professional team, the Monterey Amberjacks, where he played infield, outfield, and pitched. Coach Gale played for the Humboldt B52s in 2018 and 2019 and holds the record for strikeouts in a game, while also leading his team in home runs. This was also when he met Head Coach Giacomini, and they have maintained a close friendship ever since, even coaching together at Eureka High. Coach Gale discovered his passion for coaching and has completed 6 seasons as the Humboldt Eagles U19 Head Coach and is in his 5th season with Eureka High’s Varsity team (3rd as Head Coach).
As Coach Gale continues to mentor youth and young adults in the community, his dedication to the game and to those he serves has only grown stronger. He’s excited to begin this new chapter and is proud to once again put on the Humboldt Crabs jersey.
