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Contact: Keith Noonan, Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations
Phone Number: (301)-638-9788.
Email: [email protected]
Blue Crabs Unveil 2026 Coaching Staff
Camilli Returns as Hitting Coach, Gonzalez Enters Role as Bench Coach
Waldorf, MD – January 8th, 2026 – Brett Jodie’s coaching staff will have a familiar face as Hitting Coach Jason Camilli returns for the 2026 season in the same role. Joining him, will be Albert Gonzalez who will serve as Bench Coach and Assistant General Manager of Baseball Operations.
“When we hired Brett, we knew we wanted to put the best group around him to succeed on the field,” noted Blue Crabs General Manager Christian Heimall. “This staff does that. I’ve seen Bert’s success in recruiting and his coaching style up close in High Point and having got to know Jason, the respect the players have for him is huge. I’m confident that this trio checks every box needed to put a championship caliber roster together in Southern Maryland.”
Jodie was named the team’s ninth manager in December 2025.
Jodie said of the staff, “We are extremely fortunate as an organization to have such a great staff. Our ownership is dedicated to providing the best. Our GM Christian is working along with CEO Charles Garramone and COO Byron Sackett and to make sure that happens. Everyone is committed to making Southern Maryland the best. I am personally excited to be a part of it and thrilled with the staff that has been constructed. I Look forward to getting on the field soon!”
Camilli, the former MLB Assistant Hitting Coach with the Philadelphia Phillies and veteran instructor across multiple affiliated organizations, re-assumes the role of Hitting Coach under Jodie. In 2022, Camilli advanced to the Major Leagues as the Assistant Hitting Coach for the Philadelphia Phillies, where the Phillies saw a World Series appearance and consecutive NLCS appearances including one pennant (2022 & 2023 seasons).
“Jason brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our organization that is unmatched. I will lean heavily on his expertise with the hitters. The guys love him and are familiar with him and everyone is pumped he is coming back, including me,” Jodie said. “Jason is a true professional who will get the most out of his guys. He has great work ethic and I can already tell he builds a relationship with each individual player that is unique. The guys respect him and love him, and we are thrilled to have him.”
Camilli has 20 years of professional Hitting Coach experience, mostly in Affiliated Organizations. He started his coaching career with the Washington Nationals organization and has coached all levels of MiLB from Rookie Ball to AAA within the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds and Oakland Athletics organizations. Camilli has also been the Hitting Coach for the Arizona Fall League (Diamondbacks org) and has 12 Instructional Leagues under his belt.
“I’m extremely grateful and excited to be back in Southern Maryland for another year. I’m highly motivated on the momentum from last year and pushing forward as we work to sustain a winning culture and ultimately bring home a championship,” Camilli said. I want to sincerely thank Charles and Byron for their continued confidence in me and am thankful for Christian and Brett for the opportunity to return. I’m fired up to get back to work and will do everything on my end to help build an offense that’s tough to navigate, fully prepared every night, and relentless in competing every pitch of every at bat for 27 outs.”
During his playing career (1994-2002), he was selected out of Thunderbird High School by the Montreal Expos organization in the 2nd round (44th overall) and played 9 seasons primarily as an infielder with the Montreal Expos, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels organization.
This will be Gonzalez’s first year with the Blue Crabs.
In 2020, Gonzalez managed the New York Boulders of the Frontier League, leading the club to a playoff berth before finishing his first managerial season leading the BR Bandits to a Liberation Professional Baseball League Championship. Gonzalez also served multiple seasons with the High Point Rockers, as bench coach and Director of Player Procurement. In the 2019 and 2021 season, Gonzalez was the Rockers bullpen coach and bullpen catcher. During the off-season, he spent the fall as a catching coach for his alma mater, High Point University, and served as an assistant coach at Greensboro College.
“I am incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs organization,” Gonzalez said. “I want to sincerely thank Brett Jodie, Christian Heimall, and the ownership group for believing in me. I’m excited to get to work and do everything I can to bring a championship to Waldorf.”
Gonzalez is also the founder of Indy Ball Jobs, an organization to help young players get signed to independent baseball. So far, nine of his players have been signed to World Baseball Classic teams. Prior to his stint in High Point, Gonzalez served as the first head coach in Monroe College history, as well as an assistant coach at Felician University and Yeshiva University.
“Bert brings a ton of experience from the Atlantic league as a bench coach and also has managed in independent ball” Jodie commented. “His network stretches wide so he will be extremely valuable in finding some top players for the Blue Crabs. He is like a Swiss Army knife with coaching and can help anywhere that is needed and we will use his skills in many ways. Bert brings so much knowledge about the game to our staff. He also loves to get to know the guys and I have personally seen the bond he creates with the players.”
Stay tuned to Blue Crabs social media and bluecrabsbaseball.com for more news about the 2026 roster and other information for the upcoming season.
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About the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
The Blue Crabs play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, MLB’s Premiere Partner League. The Blue Crabs are set to kick off their 18th season of baseball at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Maryland. For more information on the Blue Crabs, please call 301-638-9788 or visit http://www.bluecrabsbaseball.com for more information. For media requests, contact Keith Noonan at 301-638-9788.
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
Celebrating its third decade, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. Over its 27-year history, the ALPB has sent over 1,450 players to MLB organizations while drawing over 48 million fans to its 10 state-of-the-art ballparks that stretch from New York to North Carolina. Follow the action at AtlanticLeague.com.