By Liam Warner/Humboldt Crabs
Packers have won seven championships
The Healdsburg Prune Packers continued to show why they are the class of the Pacific Empire league in their 2025 season, going 38-6 overall which culminated in a thrilling two games to one win over the Humboldt Crabs in the PEL championship series.
Most recently, they achieved a historic five-peat by winning five consecutive summer collegiate championships from 2021 to 2025. Three in the California Collegiate League (CCL 2021-2023) and two in the Redwood Empire League (1931, 1952).
The Crabs would win game one at a packed and raucous Arcata Ball Park by a score of 10-8 in one of the wildest games in downtown Arcata in recent memory. The game included multiple lead changes, home runs, and even a tsunami warning alert that sounded on many cell phones during the game. Once back in Healdsburg, the Prune Packers were back in their element and they took control, winning game two 10-2 and then won the win-or-go-home game three 9-4 to clinch the title.
The Prune Packers were founded in 1921 and boast a long and storied history of top tier baseball in Sonoma County. They make their home at historic Recreation Park near downtown Healdsburg.
The stadium features all wood covered seating and local food trucks.
The Packers rely on many interns who work in different operational areas of the team, including a live broadcast, social media, ticketing and retail.
Mudcats start a Dirty Fish podcast
This offseason, the Solano Mudcats launched a new media venture, the “Dirty Fish” podcast. Mudcats Co-Founder Shawn Scibek and Assistant Coach Jeff Matlock debuted their first episode on January 1, 2026, going over the history of the ball club. Since then, episodes have featured Mudcats Coaches, Hall of Famers, past and present Mudcat players and much more. You can watch or listen to each episode on the Solano Mudcats YouTube channel or Apple Podcasts. Find them at youtube.com/@solanomudcats8215
The Solano Mudcats were founded in 1990 and their history includes a 2018 Bay Area Collegiate League Championship. The Mudcats are a founding member of the Pacific Empire League along with the Crabs. Although the Mudcats historically have played their home games in Vacaville, their current home field is at Solano Community College in Fairfield.
West Coast Kings focus on player development
Founded in 2012, the West Coast Kings are primarily known as a high-level player development and showcase organization for collegiate summer baseball. The Kings organization is based in Pleasant Hill, but the team does not have a home field. The Kings won the Bay Area Collegiate League (BACL)Championship in 2022 and previously posted a dominant 29–11 league record. The Kings are headed by GM and Head Coach Kyle Gross (who also serves as the pitching coach for College Park High School), who won 2025 PEL General Manager of the year honors. They have a strong track record of helping players gain recognition from NCAA Division I, Division II, and JC programs across California.
Lincoln Potters quest to reclaim glory, crown
The Lincoln Potters have won multiple championships throughout their history, though most of these titles belong to the team’s original era in the mid-20th century. In its modern iteration as a summer collegiate team, the franchise has reached several championship finals but has yet to win a league title.
The current Potters franchise was founded in 2016, although the history of baseball in the city of Lincoln dates back to 1923. The Potters were a dominant force in the Placer-Nevada Baseball League (PNL) between 1923 and 1968. During this period, the team (playing under various names like the Cubs and Tigers) won eight championships.
Ever since the PEL was founded, the Potters have been strong contenders, appearing in the 2024 inaugural PEL Championship series, falling to the Healdsburg Prune Packers.
The Potters were once sponsored by Gladding McBean, a historic terra cotta and clay manufacturing company whose workers founded McBean Stadium back in 1925. Today the Potters pay homage to the city’s clay history with the “Clay City” jerseys.
Today, the Potters still make their home at the historic McBean Stadium, located near downtown Lincoln.
A lot of renovation has taken place since the stadium was first built and fans today can enjoy covered seating, a kids play area, many different concession areas and food trucks, and a beer, cider and wine garden.
Matt Lundgren serves as the current General Manager of the Potters, team President and owner. Lundgren also serves as the PEL Board Treasurer.
Lundgren joined the organization in its inaugural 2017 season as General Manager and was promoted to President in April 2023. Under his leadership, the Potters have grown into a staple of the South Placer community, often attracting more than 1,000 fans per game at McBean Stadium.
The Potters have a great family atmosphere with competitive baseball and in-game entertainment between innings.
Medford Rogues benefit from Harry and David Field upgrades
The Medford Rogues have always provided a great baseball experience for fans in Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley and now the team will benefit from some field upgrades to their home stadium at Harry and David Field.
In a November 7 press release the team announced that the playing surface will be completely torn out and replaced with a professional grade sod from West Coast Turf.
From the press release: “Crews are replacing the ballpark’s natural grass field with a Bermuda grass variety that is resistant to drought, requires less water and mowing, and heals quickly from damage. The turf, known as Tahoma 31, is also used in professional and college stadiums, including Dodger Stadium, Angel Stadium and the Los Angeles Coliseum.”
The project was done under the supervision of longtime Oakland Athletics groundskeeper Clay Wood, who was responsible for the conversion of the Oakland Coliseum’s field from A’s baseball to Raiders football.
The City of Medford who manages the park, also added new batting cages and a new bullpen down the right field line with artificial turf. For the fans, a new water filtration station was installed.
The current iteration of the Rogues franchise was founded in 2012. The team is owned by Medford native Dave May and area local Jeff Weiss serves as the General Manager handling the day to day operations.
The Rogues added a new member to their management staff when they picked up former Crabs volunteer board member Tracy McCormack. She served as the Rogues ticket sales representative in 2025 and has been promoted to Director of Communications for 2026.
Returning Rogues play-by-play man and current Coalinga College sports broadcaster Bryan Welch and the organization were so inspired by the Solano Mudcats podcast, they decided to launch a pirate themed “Plank Talk” podcast on the Rogues new YouTube channel at MedfordRoguesBaseball.
The Rogues provide a full baseball and entertainment experience with a 3-level party deck and different promotions each game. They provide four fireworks shows this summer. They draw more than 37,500 fans and the stadium can hold more than 1,500 fans.
Humboldt Crabs manager Robin Guiver steps down and former Crabs MVP is named the 9th Crabs skipper in history
Crabs Assistant Coach Jeff Giacomini takes over for Robin Guiver who has been with the organization for more than two decades. Guiver announced after the 2025 season, he was stepping away to spend more time with his family after nine years at the helm. Robin Guiver first joined the Humboldt Crabs as a player in 1998. Following his playing career, he transitioned directly into coaching, joining the organization’s staff as an assistant in 2000.
Giacomini said that both he and Guiver believe a seamless transition is important to the team as it looks to get over the hump and win the Pacific Empire League. Giacomini, Crabs Hall-of-Famer and three-time team MVP, has been selected as the ninth manager in team history.
Giacomini has a long history with the Crabs, as a player, he was the team’s Most Valuable Player in 2007, 2008, and 2009. After playing two years professionally, he returned to be an assistant coach under Matt Nutter and Robin Guiver from 2012-2013, and again under Guiver from 2022-2025.
Liam Warner is in charge of media and press box operations for the Humboldt Crabs.