Joey Gomes
Head Coach/General Manager
2023 marks Joey Gomes’ 10th year as General Manager and Head Coach of the Healdsburg Prune Packers. Gomes has guided the Packers to a 310 - 100 overall record and the CCL Championship in both 2021 and 2022.
"The Healdsburg Prune Packers have become the dominant program in the North." (PerfectGame.com)
With a passion for player development, Gomes has helped play a small part in a key area of college baseball. “We try our very best to keep it simple. Take care of the player, coach the player, return the player a little better than we got him.”
His philosophy of development first, win second has accumulated in a nationally-recognized team on the collegiate summer circuit. Seeing multiple players return to school ready and able to make an impact with their program.
Without the structure and academic responsibilities of a college season, the summer needs to be routine and accountability-based. In Gomes's eyes, summer baseball should exist as an extension of what collegiate programs have in place. “Players learn a lot about themselves and sometimes find a sense of clarity in the summer. Gym in the AM, early work before BP, play the game.”
In 2019, the Packers were ranked as high as #6 in the Nation (College Summer Baseball Network). Finishing that year 38-8 CCL Champions, CCL state runner-up to the SB Foresters, and a final National ranking of #10.
Back-to-Back State Titles
By 2022, Coach Gomes led the Prune Packers to secure consecutive State Championship Wins. In 2021, the team came back from a loser's bracket. After losing the first game, the Packers won the next three games and eventually beat the SLO Blues 8-7. In 2022 the Packers rolled into San Louis Obispo and swept the tournament winning 8-3 over the SLO Blues, 13-4 over the Cornejo Oaks, and dominated in the final championship game beating the Cornejo Oaks 41-1.
Baseball in the Burg
Healdsburg, located in the heart of Wine Country, has a reputation for top-notch food, wine, and now a top-notch college summer baseball team.
“There’s just something special about a summer in TheBurg.”
Gomes' playing career:
Joey Gomes enjoyed a stellar amateur career.
Being named an HS & D1 All American.
Casa Grande HS ‘97 & ‘98 SCL Champs
‘97 & ‘98 1st team All SCL
‘97 Area Code selection SF Giants
‘98 TPX All American
College of Marin
‘99 1st Team All Bay Valley
Santa Clara University
Gomes ranks in the Top 10, All Time, single-season records in 9 different offensive categories.
Batting Avg: .407
Hits: 97
Doubles: 31
Total Bases: 160
Extra Base Hits: 42
Slugging %: .672
At bats: 238
https://www.santaclarabroncos.com/sports/m-basebl/record_book
Pro career:
8th round selection Tampa Bay Rays
10yr minor league career
-3 stints in Mexico (1 winter & 2 summers)
Career .301 hitter (including Mexico)
Personal:
Gomes resides in Santa Rosa, Ca. He and his wife (Sara) have 3 children.
Max Shupe
Coach
Packers coach Max Shupe spent the last two seasons as assistant coach at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, CA. While at SMC Max coached the infielders and developed the offense. Under Max, SMC saw a jump in offensive production leading to 113 more runs scored and 102 more hits than the year prior.
While at SMC Max assisted with recruiting, ran all SMC prospect and youth camps, oversaw travel operations, assisted with fundraising, and ran the Development Team. Prior to SMC Max was on the coaching staff at his alma mater Sonoma State University, where he spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons as the infield, hitting, and third base coach. There, Max assisted with the offense, recruiting, running the baseball facility, camps, and social media. At Sonoma State, Max earned All-CCAA honors and the Newcomer of the Year award in 2010 after hitting .351 with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs.
Shupe also served on the California Collegiate League (CCL) board as a member of the Marketing and All-Star Game committee, a position he earned through his work with the Healdsburg Prune Packers, where he spent the 2019, 2020, 2021 season running their internship program and handling the team’s day-to-day operations. Continuing with his recent collegiate experience, Max served as a Northwest NTIS task force member for USA Baseball.
Max holds degrees from institutions all across the Bay Area, including an Associate in Arts from San Jose City College (2009), a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Sonoma State (2011), and an MBA in Global Leadership and Management from Holy Names University (2018).
Jarod Noonan
Pitching Coach
Jared enters his 7th consecutive year as a Prune Packer and 3rd as the pitching coach. Prior to becoming a coach, Noonan spent one season as a social media intern, and 3 as a player. In the fall and spring, Noonan serves as the pitching coach at Santa Rosa, a position he has held for 3 seasons.
At Santa Rosa, Jared handles all daily coaching for the pitchers and assists in recruiting. In his 3 seasons, Bearcub pitchers have combined for a sub-4 ERA, and consistent been among the top 10 in the state in all major stat categories. In 3 seasons with the Prune Packers, Noonan’s pitching staffs have led the CCL or finished second in Strikeouts, ERA, and wins all 3 years. In two draft classes (‘21 and ‘22), seven Prune Packers who pitched for Jared were been selected by major league teams.
Noonan also heads the golf tournament sub committee and puts on the annual Prune Packer golf tournament, a top fundraising event for the team. He sits on the California Collegiate League (CCL) Golf tournament board as well, and uses his experience in the golf industry to put on successful tournaments for both the team and for the league.
Noonan’s playing career began at Santa Rosa JC, where he won a state championship in 2016 and finished as runner up in 2017. Following his time at Santa Rosa, Noonan transferred to UC Riverside, where he appeared in 53 games between ‘18 and ‘19, bringing his career total to 105 collegiate pitching appearances. He holds 2 associates degrees from Santa Rosa and a bachelor’s from UCR.