Coaching Staff

Our coaching staff is comprised of experienced collegiate coaches, led by manager Scott Pickler, who was inducted into the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame in 2019.

Scott Pickler

Manager

Experience: 26th season

Alma mater: San Diego State

One of the most respected community college coaches in the nation, Scott Pickler completed his 35th season as head coach at Cypress College in 2018. Pickler has won more than 1,000 games and coached more than 125 players who have gone on to play in the Majors. He has won five state championships as the head coach at Cypress College in addition to claiming six Cape Cod League championships as coach of the Yarmouth Dennis Red Sox. Pick was selected in 2019 to the ABCA Hall of Fame and is also a member member of the Cape Cod Hall of Fame, Cypress College Hall of Fame and Savanna High Hall of Fame. Since taking over at Cypress in 1985, Pickler has amassed a career record of more than 1,000 wins and led the Chargers to State Championship in 1991, 1994, 1997, 2003, and 2013. Pick has been to the final four 11 times, winning five and finishing second four times.

Pickler has been selected as the California Community College Coach of the Year four times and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the California Community College Athletics Association (CCCAA) in 2016.

More than 400 of Pickler’s student-athletes have received scholarships at four-year schools and more than 126 players have been selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. Twenty three of Pickler’s former Chargers have played in the big leagues, including 2018 MLB Hall of Fame inductee Trevor Hoffman as well as 2017 MLB All-Star Jason Vargas. Hoffman played shortstop at Cypress College and Arizona before transitioning to the mound while in the Minor Leagues.

Pickler has also spent 25 seasons as a coach in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where 116 of his players have gone on to play Major League Baseball. He led the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox to league championships in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Pickler also served as a coach for the 1995 USA Baseball National Trials. Prior to Cypress, Pickler coached for six seasons at Savanna and Loara High Schools in California. He posted a combined record of 123-36 (.774) and won the CIF championship with his 1983 Loara squad.

Picker is a 1968 graduate of Savanna High School where he won a CIF championship under head coach Jim Reach and was named Savanna Athlete of the Year. He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame alongside his brother, Brad, in 2016.

He attended Cypress College, where he earned All-Conference recognition in baseball. He went on the earn a degree in physical education from San Diego State, where he played as a second baseman. Pick’s lovely wife Sharon, worked in education with autistic students, and other students with special needs. She also spent time as a principals secretary. She is supportive of every team Pick is involved with. She is also “Magga” to two grandkids.

Scott and Sharon have two kids. Their son, Jeff, played for Pick one season before going to Tennessee and becoming the SEC Player of the Year, a unanimous Division First Team All-American as well as an Academic All American. He is in his eighth year as a big-league coach and currently is the bench coach for the Cincinnati Reds. Jeff’s wife, Erica, was a high school science teacher and was a pole vaulter at UCLA.

Scott and Sharon's daughter, Kari, was song leader at UCLA. She spent a year performing on Broadway in the play “Big”. Kari and her husband, Chris, who was a quarterback at Connecticut, run their own family company, putting on major events. Bailey, 12, and Brandt, 10, are Sharon and Scott’s favorite pastime now, watching them cheer and play many sports.

Brett Adcock

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2024

Alma mater: Ashville High School, Ashville, N.C.

Brett joins Y-D this season, with several years of baseball experience under his belt. Brett played for the Y-D Red Sox during its historic 2015 championship season. While at Michigan, he earned several honors, including Freshman All American (2014), All-Big Ten Third Team (2015), All-Big Ten Tournament Team (2015) and All-Big Ten Second Team (2016). In that 2016 season, he made 14 starts and held opposing batters to a .190 average. He ranks sixth all-time at Michigan with a 3.09 ERA. In 2016, he was drafted by the Houston Astros and spent four seasons playing in Minor League Baseball.

David Higuera

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2024

Alma Mater: Georgetown College

David Higuera joins the Y-D Red Sox after completing his second season as an assistant coach with Clairmont University in Clairmont, Calif. In 2023, he helped the Stags to a 28-11 record, the highest win total for the program since 1986. The Stags also set a program record for most SCIAC wins by finishing 18-6 in the league.

Higuera arrived at CMS after serving for three seasons an assistant coach at Cal Tech, where he was the program’s third-base coach and outfield coach, while also assisting with strength and conditioning and recruiting. Prior to Cal Tech, he worked as an assistant coach and graduate assistant at Georgetown College, his alma mater, where he had similar duties, while also managing expenses and transportation.

Higuera has also had a career path in the education field, working as a science, history and PE teacher at St. Andrew Catholic School, and serving as the athletic director at Community Charter High School. He was previously a physical education and ELA teacher at Santa Rosa Charter School for one year, and a physical education and technology teacher at St. Timothy Catholic School for one year.

Higuera earned his BA in communication from Georgetown College in 2015, with a minor in psychology, and went on to earn his master’s in education from Georgetown as well. He added a second master’s degree in health and wellness from the American College of Education in 2017.

Conor Baxter

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2024

Conor Baxter, who hails from London, England, returns to the Y-D Red Sox after serving as a graduate assistant coach at Southern Arkansas University (SAU), a perennial D2 powerhouse. While at SAU, Baxter worked with hitters, and defensively with catchers and infielders, applying his passion for data analytics and hitting biomechanics to enhance their performance and development. Baxter also is pursuing an MBA in business administration with a data science focus, building on his BA in economics from Transylvania University, where he was a four-year baseball team member.

Baxter previously worked as a data analyst/baseball operations role at the Y-D Red Sox, where he created and delivered scouting reports using Trackman and Synergy data. Baxter also worked as a data analytics Intern at the Louisville Slugger Hitting Science Center, where he conducted research studies and helped design and create a more effective training environment with instant and understandable feedback for the players. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and Rapsodo Hitting Certified.

Corey Grace

Field Operations

Started with Y-D: 2020

Alma Mater: D-Y Regional High School

A baseball park is a sensitive environment. Only certain types of grass, dirt and clay are most durable. The field needs constant attention and maintenance, even on off days. Grass must be watered and mowed. Irrigation systems must be maintained. The infield must be graded, and surrounding buildings need care. It’s a big job. Thankfully, the Y-D Red Sox have Corey Grace. Corey serves the dual role of field maintenance man and assistant coach, and is the go-to person whenever any issue arises at Red-Wilson Field.

“We don’t know where we would be without Corey,” team president Paul Izzo said. “The entire organization relies on him to make sure our facility is in tip-top shape, and his dedication to our team is inspiring.”

During practices and off days, you will always find Corey at the field taking care of some problem, big or small. During games, you will find him in the dugout helping manager Scott Pickler in a variety of ways. But wherever you find him, you can bet he will be wearing his Y-D cap.

Craig Giannino

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2022

Alma mater: Sacred Heart Cathedral High School; Bellevue University (Nebraska) ’95 CWS Champion

Craig Giannino is a wonderful addition to the Y-D Red Sox coaching staff and is back in his second year in coach Pickler’s dugout. With years of experience, coach Gianinno brings a unique perspective to the Red Sox that players and staff can turn to for guidance. Coach Gianinno’s resume as a mentor and coach is of great value to the Y-D Red Sox, providing both players and staff with a unique point of view when competing.

Craig Gianinno is a native from San Francisco, where he attended Sacred Heart Cathedral. Gianinno played collegiately at CCSF. He was named the team’s most valuable player and earned all-conference honors. He later transferred to the College of Marin, where he played for ABCA Hall of Fame Baseball Coach Al Endriss. Gianinno was selected to the Northern California All Star Team. He earned all-conference honors and led the Mariners to the California State Playoffs. Gianinno completed his collegiate career at Bellevue University (Neb.) culminating as a member of the 1995 College World Series National Championship team which was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018. Gianinno was nominated by his teammates to deliver the induction speech.

Craig and his wife, Bonnie, reside in Sparta, N.J., with their twin daughters, Eliana and Sophia.

Sky Duff

Assistant Manager

Started with Y-D: 2024

Sky Duff joins the Y-D Red Sox after completing his first season as a graduate manager with the University of Pittsburgh baseball team. Duff spent the entirety of his five-year collegiate career at Pittsburgh, breaking numerous school records and earning multiple individual and team awards. His name is littered all throughout the Pitt baseball record book.

Duff ranks first all-time in walks (171) and doubles (54), second all-time in career games played (213) and at-bats (794), third all-time in games started (207), fifth all-time in runs scored (163), eighth all-time in hits (226) and 13th all-time in total bases (314). Among these accolades, Duff finished his career with 10 home runs, 10 stolen bases, two triples and 95 RBI while hitting .285 with a .420 on-base percentage. Following what was arguably his best year at Pitt, in 2021, the then-junior earned ABCA/Rawlings All-East Region Second Team and All-ACC Third Team honors at third base. Duff recorded single-season career highs in many offensive statistical categories as he batted .366 and slugged .524 with 60 hits and 18 doubles while he maintained a .461 on-base percentage. He ended the season with active 21-game on-base and 13-game hit streaks, ranking fourth in the ACC in on-base percentage and fifth in batting average.

The Shamong, N.J., native played high school ball at Bishop Eustace Prep in Pennsauken, N.J. Duff was a four-year varsity player at Bishop Eustace and helped lead them to two conference championships.

Riley Regala

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2024

Riley Regala joins the Y-D Red Sox in 2024. He has worked the past three seasons as a coach at Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego, Calif. At PLNU, his duties include scouting, player development and youth camps, in addition to working with hitters and infielders.

Regala graduated from Bonita Vista High School in 2015, while being a part of the Barons’ first CIF Championship in 2014. After high school, Regala went on to play at Southwestern Community College in 2016-17.

Regala graduated from Grand Canyon and earned a Bachelor’s degree in pre-physical therapy. In 2021, Regala was crowned champion in the 68th Annual OMBAC Open Over-The-Line tournament.

Nadia Visco

Head Athletic Trainer

Nadia Visco is a 2022 graduate of the University of New Hampshire’s CAATE-accredited athletic training program. During her undergraduate career at UNH, Nadia completed more than 700 clinical hours working with a variety of Division I teams such as football, women’s basketball, men’s and women’s track and field, and men’s soccer. Nadia is no stranger to the CCBL: As a new grad, she was able to fulfill duties as the sports medicine intern for the Harwich Mariners during the 2022 season. Currently, Nadia works at the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Mass.

Scott Pickler

Manager

Experience: 26th season

Alma mater: San Diego State

One of the most respected community college coaches in the nation, Scott Pickler completed his 35th season as head coach at Cypress College in 2018. Pickler has won more than 1,000 games and coached more than 125 players who have gone on to play in the Majors. He has won five state championships as the head coach at Cypress College in addition to claiming six Cape Cod League championships as coach of the Yarmouth Dennis Red Sox. Pick was selected in 2019 to the ABCA Hall of Fame and is also a member member of the Cape Cod Hall of Fame, Cypress College Hall of Fame and Savanna High Hall of Fame. Since taking over at Cypress in 1985, Pickler has amassed a career record of more than 1,000 wins and led the Chargers to State Championship in 1991, 1994, 1997, 2003, and 2013. Pick has been to the final four 11 times, winning five and finishing second four times.

Pickler has been selected as the California Community College Coach of the Year four times and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the California Community College Athletics Association (CCCAA) in 2016.

More than 400 of Pickler’s student-athletes have received scholarships at four-year schools and more than 126 players have been selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. Twenty three of Pickler’s former Chargers have played in the big leagues, including 2018 MLB Hall of Fame inductee Trevor Hoffman as well as 2017 MLB All-Star Jason Vargas. Hoffman played shortstop at Cypress College and Arizona before transitioning to the mound while in the Minor Leagues.

Pickler has also spent 25 seasons as a coach in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where 116 of his players have gone on to play Major League Baseball. He led the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox to league championships in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Pickler also served as a coach for the 1995 USA Baseball National Trials. Prior to Cypress, Pickler coached for six seasons at Savanna and Loara High Schools in California. He posted a combined record of 123-36 (.774) and won the CIF championship with his 1983 Loara squad.

Picker is a 1968 graduate of Savanna High School where he won a CIF championship under head coach Jim Reach and was named Savanna Athlete of the Year. He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame alongside his brother, Brad, in 2016.

He attended Cypress College, where he earned All-Conference recognition in baseball. He went on the earn a degree in physical education from San Diego State, where he played as a second baseman. Pick’s lovely wife Sharon, worked in education with autistic students, and other students with special needs. She also spent time as a principals secretary. She is supportive of every team Pick is involved with. She is also “Magga” to two grandkids.

Scott and Sharon have two kids. Their son, Jeff, played for Pick one season before going to Tennessee and becoming the SEC Player of the Year, a unanimous Division First Team All-American as well as an Academic All American. He is in his eighth year as a big-league coach and currently is the bench coach for the Cincinnati Reds. Jeff’s wife, Erica, was a high school science teacher and was a pole vaulter at UCLA.

Scott and Sharon's daughter, Kari, was song leader at UCLA. She spent a year performing on Broadway in the play “Big”. Kari and her husband, Chris, who was a quarterback at Connecticut, run their own family company, putting on major events. Bailey, 12, and Brandt, 10, are Sharon and Scott’s favorite pastime now, watching them cheer and play many sports.

Craig Giannino

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2022

Alma mater: Sacred Heart Cathedral High School; Bellevue University (Nebraska) ’95 CWS Champion

Craig Giannino is a wonderful addition to the Y-D Red Sox coaching staff and is back in his second year in coach Pickler’s dugout. With years of experience, coach Gianinno brings a unique perspective to the Red Sox that players and staff can turn to for guidance. Coach Gianinno’s resume as a mentor and coach is of great value to the Y-D Red Sox, providing both players and staff with a unique point of view when competing.

Craig Gianinno is a native from San Francisco, where he attended Sacred Heart Cathedral. Gianinno played collegiately at CCSF. He was named the team’s most valuable player and earned all-conference honors. He later transferred to the College of Marin, where he played for ABCA Hall of Fame Baseball Coach Al Endriss. Gianinno was selected to the Northern California All Star Team. He earned all-conference honors and led the Mariners to the California State Playoffs. Gianinno completed his collegiate career at Bellevue University (Neb.) culminating as a member of the 1995 College World Series National Championship team which was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018. Gianinno was nominated by his teammates to deliver the induction speech.

Craig and his wife, Bonnie, reside in Sparta, N.J., with their twin daughters, Eliana and Sophia.

Brett Adcock

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2024

Alma mater: Ashville High School, Ashville, N.C.

Brett joins Y-D this season, with several years of baseball experience under his belt. Brett played for the Y-D Red Sox during its historic 2015 championship season. While at Michigan, he earned several honors, including Freshman All American (2014), All-Big Ten Third Team (2015), All-Big Ten Tournament Team (2015) and All-Big Ten Second Team (2016). In that 2016 season, he made 14 starts and held opposing batters to a .190 average. He ranks sixth all-time at Michigan with a 3.09 ERA. In 2016, he was drafted by the Houston Astros and spent four seasons playing in Minor League Baseball.

Sky Duff

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2024

Sky Duff joins the Y-D Red Sox after completing his first season as a graduate manager with the University of Pittsburgh baseball team. Duff spent the entirety of his five-year collegiate career at Pittsburgh, breaking numerous school records and earning multiple individual and team awards. His name is littered all throughout the Pitt baseball record book.

Duff ranks first all-time in walks (171) and doubles (54), second all-time in career games played (213) and at-bats (794), third all-time in games started (207), fifth all-time in runs scored (163), eighth all-time in hits (226) and 13th all-time in total bases (314). Among these accolades, Duff finished his career with 10 home runs, 10 stolen bases, two triples and 95 RBI while hitting .285 with a .420 on-base percentage. Following what was arguably his best year at Pitt, in 2021, the then-junior earned ABCA/Rawlings All-East Region Second Team and All-ACC Third Team honors at third base. Duff recorded single-season career highs in many offensive statistical categories as he batted .366 and slugged .524 with 60 hits and 18 doubles while he maintained a .461 on-base percentage. He ended the season with active 21-game on-base and 13-game hit streaks, ranking fourth in the ACC in on-base percentage and fifth in batting average.

The Shamong, N.J., native played high school ball at Bishop Eustace Prep in Pennsauken, N.J. Duff was a four-year varsity player at Bishop Eustace and helped lead them to two conference championships.

David Higuera

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2024

Alma Mater: Georgetown College

David Higuera joins the Y-D Red Sox after completing his second season as an assistant coach with Clairmont University in Clairmont, Calif. In 2023, he helped the Stags to a 28-11 record, the highest win total for the program since 1986. The Stags also set a program record for most SCIAC wins by finishing 18-6 in the league.

Higuera arrived at CMS after serving for three seasons an assistant coach at Cal Tech, where he was the program’s third-base coach and outfield coach, while also assisting with strength and conditioning and recruiting. Prior to Cal Tech, he worked as an assistant coach and graduate assistant at Georgetown College, his alma mater, where he had similar duties, while also managing expenses and transportation.

Higuera has also had a career path in the education field, working as a science, history and PE teacher at St. Andrew Catholic School, and serving as the athletic director at Community Charter High School. He was previously a physical education and ELA teacher at Santa Rosa Charter School for one year, and a physical education and technology teacher at St. Timothy Catholic School for one year.

Higuera earned his BA in communication from Georgetown College in 2015, with a minor in psychology, and went on to earn his master’s in education from Georgetown as well. He added a second master’s degree in health and wellness from the American College of Education in 2017.

Riley Regala

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2024

Riley Regala joins the Y-D Red Sox in 2024. He has worked the past three seasons as a coach at Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego, Calif. At PLNU, his duties include scouting, player development and youth camps, in addition to working with hitters and infielders.

Regala graduated from Bonita Vista High School in 2015, while being a part of the Barons’ first CIF Championship in 2014. After high school, Regala went on to play at Southwestern Community College in 2016-17.

Regala graduated from Grand Canyon and earned a Bachelor’s degree in pre-physical therapy. In 2021, Regala was crowned champion in the 68th Annual OMBAC Open Over-The-Line tournament.

Conor Baxter

Assistant Coach

Started with Y-D: 2024

Conor Baxter, who hails from London, England, returns to the Y-D Red Sox after serving as a graduate assistant coach at Southern Arkansas University (SAU), a perennial D2 powerhouse. While at SAU, Baxter worked with hitters, and defensively with catchers and infielders, applying his passion for data analytics and hitting biomechanics to enhance their performance and development. Baxter also is pursuing an MBA in business administration with a data science focus, building on his BA in economics from Transylvania University, where he was a four-year baseball team member.

Baxter previously worked as a data analyst/baseball operations role at the Y-D Red Sox, where he created and delivered scouting reports using Trackman and Synergy data. Baxter also worked as a data analytics Intern at the Louisville Slugger Hitting Science Center, where he conducted research studies and helped design and create a more effective training environment with instant and understandable feedback for the players. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and Rapsodo Hitting Certified.

Nadia Visco

Head Athletic Trainer

Nadia Visco is a 2022 graduate of the University of New Hampshire’s CAATE-accredited athletic training program. During her undergraduate career at UNH, Nadia completed more than 700 clinical hours working with a variety of Division I teams such as football, women’s basketball, men’s and women’s track and field, and men’s soccer. Nadia is no stranger to the CCBL: As a new grad, she was able to fulfill duties as the sports medicine intern for the Harwich Mariners during the 2022 season. Currently, Nadia works at the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Mass.

Corey Grace

Field Operations

Started with Y-D: 2020

Alma Mater: D-Y Regional High School

A baseball park is a sensitive environment. Only certain types of grass, dirt and clay are most durable. The field needs constant attention and maintenance, even on off days. Grass must be watered and mowed. Irrigation systems must be maintained. The infield must be graded, and surrounding buildings need care. It’s a big job. Thankfully, the Y-D Red Sox have Corey Grace. Corey serves the dual role of field maintenance man and assistant coach, and is the go-to person whenever any issue arises at Red-Wilson Field.

“We don’t know where we would be without Corey,” team president Paul Izzo said. “The entire organization relies on him to make sure our facility is in tip-top shape, and his dedication to our team is inspiring.”

During practices and off days, you will always find Corey at the field taking care of some problem, big or small. During games, you will find him in the dugout helping manager Scott Pickler in a variety of ways. But wherever you find him, you can bet he will be wearing his Y-D cap.