The Merchants want to send a huge thank you to 2024 Head Coach Dustin Cheyne. Coach Cheyne will be stepping down for the 2025 season and leaves some big shoes to fill. Cheyne was instrumental in the Merchants success in 2024. There was no better candidate to lead the Merchants in their first year in the California Collegiate League. His leadership, interpersonal, organizational, and game management skills will not be soon forgotten.
We cant thank Coach Cheyne enough for all his time, passion, knowledge, and positive impact on the program. After a 1-9 start Coach Cheyne never blinked showed up and showed out every game and had the squad playing great baseball. He lead our athletes to some hard fought wins vs some of the top teams in the state. We will miss Coach's presence on and off the field more than words can express and we wish he and his family nothing but the best. Thank you Coach!!! 💯🫡
#merchantsbaseball #merk4life #californiacollegiateleague #salute #thankyou
New Merchants head coach TC Fairfield has been coaching since before he finished his playing career. Born and raised in San Jose, he actually cut his teeth as a high school PC for Evergreen high while still playing at Mission JC. Coaching and teaching has always been in his blood, spending much of his youngest years in his mother's dance studio behind Valley Fair. After finishing up his playing days as a pitcher at Pacific University in Oregon, he didnt want to leave the field and went right into coaching. Over the last 10 years, Fairfield has gone from being the bullpen coach at San Jose State to the pitching coach at Cal State East Bay to finally settling in the Juco ranks. Currently the head pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Coalinga College, his JC tenure is highlighted by a trip to the state championship game in 2022 with Ohlone.
The spring season isn't where the game ends for Fairfield, having been a summer ball coach for the previous seven years. His experience includes five years as head coach of the South Bay Storm in San Jose, a year as the head coach of the Dubsea Fishsticks in Seattle, and most recently as a recruiting coordinator in the West Coast League with the Kamloops Northpaws.
Coach Fairfield is super excited to be a part of a budding franchise in a league that is becoming a premier collegiate summer experience. He praises the ownership group for having a very strong vision for building out a successful team within an awesome sports community. Fairfield set his sights on finding an organization that was committed to a growth mindset from the top down. The Merchants willingness to completely invest in the players and team experience, as well as improving the stadium experience really stood out to and made him want to jump aboard. Fairfield sees Alameda and the East Bay as the perfect place to build a successful summer franchise. With baby pictures at the coliseum to memories of family outings in Jack London Square and Lake Merritt, Fairfield is excited to be at home in the East Bay this summer with the Merchants.
Coach Mills is a true Merchant. From 2011-2016 Mills was the OF coach, 1st Base Coach, and main recruiter for the Merchants. With over 145 wins and counting, Mills was also a big part of the Merchants back to back Championship runs in 2013 & 2014.
Moving to Alameda in 1981 at the age of 6. Mills attended St. Joseph's Notre Dame High School where he played Varsity Baseball from 1989-1992 under SJND Hall of Fame Head Coach Ray Freitas and HOF Asst Coach Pete Piombo. In 1991 Mills was named to the Cal-Hi All State Team and many other postseason all star rosters. In 1992 SJND finished top 5 in the state with a record of 25-4.
Coach Mills spent the next 5 years playing college baseball with stops at the University of San Francisco, Seminole State in OK, Hawaii, and Sacramento State.
In 1997 Coach Mills hung up his playing cleats and went to work for the Federal Government. Set to retire in September 2025, Coach Mills may consider coaching on a full time basis.
IN HIS OWN WORDS:
"This Program means a lot to me because it is the oldest existing Summer baseball program in Alameda (Little League, Babe Ruth, American Legion, are all gone at the HS and above levels). I take great pride in being a part of this program. Alameda is a true "Baseball Town". For most of my life its had a population of less than 70,000 yet we have had a long list of talent come off this Island. That list continues to grow. The Merchants have played their part in that history and Im just proud to be a part of that legacy."
- Dan Mills
#Merk4life
Coach Nunez comes to the Merchants from Cal State University East Bay. Nunez is a current assistant for the Pioneers. He also played at CSUEB 2022 & 2023. Before playing at Eastbay Nunez starred at Laney College from 2016-2019. Coach Nunez attended Washington HS in Fremont, Ca.
BJ joins the Merchants as asst. General Manager & Head of Player Development for the 2025 campaign. Coach Boyd will bring his wealth of knowledge and professional experience to our young athletes. Whether he's working with our hitters, helping our OF's, teaching our baserunners the finer points, helping with recruiting, or just spreading his love for the game to the team, Coach Boyd's impact is undeniable. The Merchants are excited to have the Bossman on board!
JUNE
JULY
Congratulations to the entire Conejo Oaks organization on winning the 2024 California Collegiate League Championship. The Oaks play their home games at Cal Lutheran University's Ullman Stadium/Sparky Anderson Field in Thousand Oaks, CA.
The Oaks defeated the Walnut Creek Crawdads 7-1 8/2/24 and then 4-0 8/3/24 in the "Nor Cal vs So Cal" best of 3 CCL Championship series.
Both games were played at beautiful Pat Bail Field @ the College of Alameda.
Photo by Alex Vromero
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