Muckdogs Coaching Staff
 Bret Pagni – General Manager, Owner, Muckdogs 17U Summer Team Head Coach, Muckdogs 9U Head Coach
Bret played locally at McQueen High School (’91-’93) and at Reno High School (’94). After graduating he went on to play California Community College baseball at Yuba College (’95-’96) in Marysville, California. His sophomore year he received Second Team All-Bay Valley Conference honors. He earned his Associates of Arts degree in 1996. After his two years at the JC level he earned a Division One baseball scholarship to play at Centenary College (’97-’98) in Shreveport, Louisiana. He received Honorable Mention All-Louisiana Team honors his junior year, while being a significant contributor in the program during his two years there. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in English in 1998. After his senior year, he was fortunate enough to sign a free agent contract with the Chicago Cubs organization. He was assigned to play with their rookie ball team in Mesa, Arizona. Unfortunately his time there was short, as he was released two weeks later. Once he came home he decided to end his playing career and start full-time with his coaching career. His first lesson client, Joe Wieland, went on to be drafted by the Texas Rangers organization in the fourth round of the 2008 MLB draft and played in the big leagues with the San Diego Padres. Bret went on to build his lesson business and in 2003, with the help of Ken Camel, they started the Muckdogs Baseball Club. Since then Bret has spent time as the Muckdogs 10U Head Coach, and is currently the Muckdogs 9U Head Coach. He also served a the Muckdogs 19U Summer Team Assistant Coach for sixteen years. In the summer of 2021, he took over as the 17U Summer Team Head Coach, which is a position he holds currently. Bret has coached over 290 athletes in the organization who have gone on to play college baseball, including three major leaguers. Bret’s General Manager duties with the Muckdogs keep him busy, and he also serves as the President of Nevada Lightning Fastpitch, a traveling fastpitch softball organization that was established in 1990. He works hard on a daily basis with his instructors to prepare athletes for high school, college and beyond. |
 Ken Camel – Assistant General Manager, Private Baseball Instructor, Muckdogs 19U Summer Team Head Coach, Muckdogs 18U Spring Team Head Coach
Ken started his high school baseball career at Ocean Springs High School (’89-’91) in Mississippi. When his parents moved to Hawaii he concluded his high school baseball career at Millani High School (’92). After graduating he went on to play a year at Central Arizona College (’94), where his team was ranked in the top 25 of the NJCAA national rankings. After his time at Central Arizona, he earned a solid financial aid package to play for Division Three powerhouse, Upper Iowa University (’95-’97), where Ken played under current University of Iowa Head Coach Rick Heller. Ken’s team advanced to NCAA Division Three World Series his junior year. Off the field, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Marketing, graduating with double major. Ken began his coaching career as a high school baseball coach in Minnesota as an assistant coach at Owatanna High School (’98). He went on to coach in Iowa as the Kennedy High School Feeder Program Head Coach (’99-’00). In 2002 he led a group of 12U players from Iowa to AAU state championship, serving as their head coach for a year. In 2003 he moved to Reno and started working out of our academy. He started up as a lesson instructor and also was one of the first head coaches in Muckdog history, taking the 14U head coaching position. Later that summer he took the reigns as the Muckdog 19U coach, helping build the pinnacle team of the program to what it is today. In 2006 he led the Muckdogs 14U team to a third place finish at the Winter Nationals in Surprise, Arizona. Currently he remains the 19U summer team manager (formerly the Muckdogs 19U Joe Dimaggio team, leading the club in the summer of 2010 to it’s first Joe DiMaggio World Series title). He is also the Muckdogs 18U Spring Team Head Coach, as well as the Muckdogs Assistant General Manager. You can find him at the facility most every day working with his students and talking to college coaches trying to promote our athletes to the next level. |
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RJ attended Wooster High School (’14-’17) where he was a significant contributor to the program during his four years. After graduating from Wooster High, he went on to play at Mendocino College for two years (’18-’19). He then transferred to NAIA school Pacific University, where he played for two more seasons (’20-’21). He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Pacific University. He played for the Muckdogs organization starting at 13U, and played all the way through the 19U level of the organization. RJ began his coaching career as the Muckdogs 17U Summer Team Assistant coach in the summer of 2021. In the fall of 2022 he took over as the Muckdogs 17U Fall/Winter Team Head Coach. In the fall of 2023 RJ took over as the Muckdogs 18U Fall/Winter Team Head Coach. He specializes in working with hitters and position players. |
 Sam Gamboa – Muckdogs 18U Red Fall/Winter Team Assistant Coach
Sam attending McQueen High School (’12-’15) where he was a significant contributor to the program during his four years. After graduating from McQueen High, he went on to play at Feather River College (’16-’17). After taking a significant break from the game, Sam transferred to University of Nevada where he played baseball (’20). He finished his playing career at Oklahoma Baptist University, where he played for two seasons (’21-’22). Sam began his coaching career as the Muckdogs 18U Red Fall/Winter Team Assistant Coach. He specializes in working with pitchers. |
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Ron graduated from the University of Nevada with a degree in Finance. After college he was the Executive Director of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education for seventeen years. He comes to us with over fifteen years of coaching high school baseball. He started his coaching career as one of the original baseball coaches at Spanish Springs High School and continued to coach there for six seasons. After leaving Spanish Springs High School he went on to coach at North Valleys High School for five seasons. He also served as a hitting consultant to Coach Vince Angle at Yerington High School for two seasons. Ron has experience coaching kids from little league all the way to the high school level. He emphasizes and teaches the fundamental aspects of the game, specializing in the hitting approach. Ron served as the Muckdogs 9U Assistant Coach, a position he held from the fall of 2016 through the spring of 2023. Ron also served two summers as the Muckdogs 17U assistant coach under Robbie Wickware in 2017 and 2018. In the summer of 2019 Ron was promoted to the Muckdogs 15U Summer Team Head coach, a position he still holds today. In the fall of 2023, Ron took over as the 18U Black Fall/Winter Team Head Coach. |
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Mike attended Redondo High School in Southern California (’83). After graduating from high school he went on to play at L.A. Harbor College (’84) playing on their state championship team and was coached by legendary coach Jim O’Brien. Mike’s dad is in the California Coaches Hall of Fame as one of the winningest coaches in Southern California high school history. Mike began his coaching career as the Frosh/Soph head coach at Redondo High (’85). He then became the varsity pitching coach at Redondo High (’86-’88). Mike served as the West Torrance High varsity pitching coach (’92-’99), coaching two separate teams that were ranked number one in the country and one point during their respective seasons. After moving up to Northern Nevada, Mike served as the Muckdogs 14U Assistant Coach (’10-’13). Mike works with the pitchers and coaches first base. In the fall of 2014 Mike took over as the Muckdogs 14U Head Coach, where he served for one season. In the fall of 2015 through July of 2021 Mike served as the Muckdogs 10U Assistant Coach. In the fall of 2021 he takes over as the Muckdogs 10U Head Coach. In the summer of 2023, Mike served as the 15U Summer Team Assistant Coach. In the fall of 2023, Mike took over as the 18U Black Fall/Winter Team Assistant Coach. Mike also serves as a private instructor at the academy. |
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Andrew Rangel was a four sport athlete in high school lettering in football, baseball, cross country, and track and field. He began his baseball career at Basic Academy in Las Vegas and then transferred to Douglas County High School during his junior year. He received regional honors in both years playing at Douglas high school. He was the Utility Player of the Year his senior year and received all state honors. As a coach he specializes in hitters gaining a mental edge at the plate and on the base paths. Following his baseball career, Andrew decided to double down on his education. He is a recent first generation college graduate who triple majored with honors in finance, economics, and information systems from the University of Nevada – Reno. He has three years of capital markets/finance experience and is actively a data engineer at a firm based out of NYC. He will be attending graduate school to receive his MBA, MS in Finance, and MS in Data Science.
Off the field, he volunteers at Junior Achievement of Northern Nevada, pursues various business ventures, or spends time with his son, Mateo and dog named Fausto. He strives to prepare himself and others for the challenges that reap the most glorious benefits: education, relationships that endow moments of growth, and professional opportunities. Andrew began his coaching career in 2020. He served at the Muckdogs 16U Fall/Winter Team Head Coach for two seasons. He also was the Muckdogs 16U Spring Team Head Coach in 2020. In the fall of 2023 Andrew returned to the Muckdogs coaching staff to serve as the Muckdogs 16U Fall/Winter Team Coach.
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 Eli Hinojosa – Muckdogs 16U Fall/Winter Team Assistant Coach
Eli attended Douglas High School (’16-’19). His senior year he was an All-Conference player, named one of the top pitchers in the league. Eli played one season of college baseball at Clark College (’20). He played another season (’22) at Feather River College. He currently attends University of Nevada as a student. He began playing for the Muckdogs organization starting at seventeen, and played through the 19U level of the organization. Eli began his Muckdogs coaching career in the 2021, serving as the Muckdogs 14U Assistant Coach. In the fall of 2022 he took over as the Muckdogs 14U Assistant Coach. In the fall of 2023 he took over as the Muckdogs 16U Fall/Winter Team Assistant Coach. He specializes in working with pitchers. |
 Benny Peck – Muckdogs 15U Fall/Winter Team Head Coach
Benny played four seasons at Reed High School (’16-’19) where he served as a utility player. He was a member of the Muckdogs organization from 9U-15U. He went on to play baseball in college at Folsom Lake College. After his time playing, he started up as an umpire. He quickly became one of the top young umpires in Northern Nevada. Benny started his Muckdogs coaching career in the fall of 2022 as the Muckdogs 16U Fall/Winter Team Head Coach. In the fall of 2023, Benny took ocer as the Muckdogs 15U Fall/Winter Team Head Coach. He specializes in working with hitters and position players. |
 Anthony Messenger – Muckdogs 15U Fall/Winter Team Assistant Coach
Anthony attended Reed High School (’13-’16), where he played baseball all four years. After graduating from Reed High, he went on to play college baseball at Walter State Community College in Kansas (’18-’19). Anthony’s uncle, Randy, played professional baseball for 21 years. Anthony began his coaching career while in college, coaching wity the Tennessee Warriors travel ball program. He began his Muckdogs coaching career in the fall of 2023, serving as the Muckdogs 15U Fall/Winter Team Assistant Coach. He specializes in working with infielders and hitters.
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 Anthony Calton – Muckdogs 14U Head Coach
Anthony Calton grew up in Northern Nevada and was a part of the Muckdogs organization as a player since he was nine years old. He played on the 9U team under Bret Pagni. Anthony played his high school baseball at McQueen High, and was part of the 2012 Nothern Nevada League championship team. His senior year he received First Team All-State honors as an outfielder. Anthony went on to play college baseball at Mendocino College, where as a freshman he was named an All-American. That season he set the school record with thirteen triples. After taking a year off due to an arm injury, he had transferred to Upper Iowa University, an NCAA Division Two School. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, he stayed at Upper Iowa as a graduate assistant. Anthony is currently pursuing his master’s degree and is hoping to become a sports psychologist. Anthony previously served as the Muckdogs 12U Assistant Coach during his year off in college from playing. As of the fall of 2018 Anthony took over as the Muckdogs 14U Head Coach. He still holds that position today. He specializes in working with outfielders and hitters. |
 Kody Kast – Muckdogs 14U Assistant Head Coach
Kody attended Spanish Springs High School (’16-’19). He joined the Muckdogs organization when he was 13, and played for the Muckdogs through his high school career. He began his coaching career in 2020, where he was the head coach of a Sparks Babe Ruth team. In the summer of 2021, Kody started coaching with the Muckdogs organization as a roving coach. In the fall of 2023, he took over as the Muckdogs 14U Assistant Coach.
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 Hunter Ivory – Muckdogs 13U Head Coach
Hunter played high school baseball at Spanish Springs High School. He was a member of the Muckdogs organization from 9U all of the way through 19U, being one of the few players ever to hold that distinction.
Hunter begins his coaching career in the organization as the Muckdogs 13U Assistant Coach in the fall of 2020. In the fall of 2021 he took over as the Muckdogs 13U Head Coach, a position he still holds today. He specializes in working with hitters and outfielders.
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 Andrew Stinson – Muckdogs 13U Assistant Coach
Andrew attended Galena High School (’13-’16) where he played baseball. His first joined the Muckdogs organization at the 15U level and played through his senior year. He immediately began his coaching career after graduating, serving under Robbie Wickware as the Muckdogs 17U Summer Team Assistant Coach. Throughout Andrew’s Muckdogs coaching career he has served as an assistant coach and head coach at various levels of the organization. In the fall of 2022, he took over as the Muckdogs 15U Fall/Winter Team Assistant Coach. In the fall of 2023, Andrew took over as the Muckdogs 13U Assistant Coach. He specializes in working with hitters and position players. |
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Eric attended Galena High School where he played under head coach Ron McNutt. Eric played in the Muckdogs organization for four years. After graduation in 2010 he attended College of the Siskiyous, junior college in California, playing two seasons for head coach Billy Hefflinger. After redshirting as an outfielder his freshman year, he focused on pitching where he found success as a relief pitcher his final two seasons. Following his time at College Of The Siskiyous he chose to focus strictly on his education. In May 2015 he graduated from Southern Utah University with a bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training. Eric served as the Muckdogs 12U Assistant Coach starting in the fall of 2015. In the fall of 2016 he was promoted to the Muckdogs 12U Head Coach, a position he still holds today. |
 Nate Thackaberry – Muckdogs 12U Assistant Coach
Nate joined the Muckdogs organization when he was nine years old. He played for the organization for ten seasons. He attended Spanish Springs High School (’14-’17), where he played for three seasons. He begins his coaching career as the Muckdogs 12U Assistant Coach. He specializes in working with outfielders and hitters. |
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Raistlin attended Reed High School (’18-’21) where he was an extremely versatile player. He caught, pitched, played the infield and the outfield. It is this versatility that will help him in his coaching career. He started with the Muckdogs organization when he was eight years old, and played all of the way through the 19U level of the organization. Raistlin is attending University of Nevada, in pursuit of his bachelor’s degree. He began his Muckdogs coaching career in the fall of 2021 as the Muckdogs 11U Assistant Coach. In January of 2023 he took over as the Muckdogs 11U Head Coach. He specializes in working with infielders, pitchers and hitters. |
 Ryan Thackaberry – Muckdogs 11U Assistant Coach
Ryan joined the Muckdogs organization when he was eight years old. He attended Spanish Springs High School (’17-20), where he played all four years. After graduating from Spanish Springs High School, Ryan got into the trade industry and is now a welder. He began his coaching career in the fall of 2023, as the Muckdogs 11U Assistant Coach. |
 Logan Martin – Muckdogs 10U Head Coach
Logan attended Spanish Springs High School (’18-’21). He played for the high school team his first two seasons, and played the next two seasons with the Muckdogs 18U Spring Team. After graduating from Spanish Springs High, Logan spent the fall of 2021 at Feather River College. He took a gap year in the spring of 2022, and enrolled at Mendocino Colletge in the fall of 2022. He was the top pitcher on the team in the spring of 2023. He began his coaching career in the summer of 2023, serving as an assistant coach on the Muckdogs 9U coaching staff. In the fall of 2023, he took over as the Muckdogs 10U Head Coach. |
 Gavin Hawkinson – Muckdogs 10U Assistant Coach
Gavin attended North Valleys High School (’17-’20), where he played baseball for three years. His last season he played for the first Muckdogs 18U Spring Team. He was a member of the Muckdogs organization since he was fifteen years old. After graduating from Spanish Springs High, he went on to play three seasons at Mendocino College (’21-’23). Gavin is currently attending University of Nevada, where he is majoring in Agricultural Science. He began his coaching career in the summer of 2023, serving as an assistant coach on the Muckdogs 9U coaching staff. In the fall of 2023, he took over as the Muckdogs 10U Assistant Coach. |
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Trevor played at Reno High School (’01-’04). After graduating, he went on to play at Treasure Valley Community college in Ontario, Oregon where he was a two-time All conference selection (’05-’06). After two years at the JC level and earning his associates degree, Trevor accepted a scholarship to play baseball at Midland Lutheran in Fremont, Nebraska (’07-’08). While playing there he was a two-time All-Conference selection. After his senior year he received an offer to travel to Europe and play baseball in Prague, Czech Republic against national teams from Italy, Czech republic, Croatia, Slovakia and Greece while the teams were preparing for the Olympics later that summer. Upon completion of the tournament Trevor returned to Midland Lutheran to finish his bas bachelor’s degree in Accounting (’09). In the summer of 2011 Trevor began his coaching career with the Reno Hurricanes, serving has their head coach (’12). two-time All Conference selection. He came to the Muckdogs organization in early 2013 serving as the Muckdogs 9U assistant coach. In the fall of 2013 Trevor took over as the Muckdogs 18U Fall/Winter Team Head Coach, a position he still holds today. Starting in the spring of 2020 Trevor took over as the Muckdogs 16U Spring Team Head Coach. He coached that team for two seasons. In the fall of 2023, Trevor will focus his efforts serving solely as the Muckdogs 9U Associate Head Coach. Trevor specializes in working with catchers and hitters. |
 Thomas Sertic – Muckdogs 9U Assistant Coach
Thomas attended Reed High School (’11-’14) where he was a three-year varsity player. He was named to the All-State team his senior year (’14). After graduating from Reed he attended Mendocino College (’15-’16) where he played two seasons and earned his A.A. degree. After his time at Mendocino, Thomas received an athletic scholarship to play at NCAA Division Two School Nothern State University, where he played for two seasons (’17-’18). He was an All-Conference player his senior season. Thomas earned his bachelor’s in Business Administration from Northern State. He went on to attend law school at William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV, where he graduated from in 2021, while also passing the Bar Exam. Thomas played for the Muckdogs organization since he was twelve years old, making it all the way through the 19U level of the organization. He began his coaching career in 2017 serving as the Muckdogs 9U Assistant Coach while he was home from college. In the fall of 2021 he is took over as the Muckdogs 18U Fall/Winter Team Assistant Coach. He held that position through January of 2023. He is now the Muckdogs 9U Assistant Coach, as of May 2023. He specializes in working with pitchers. |
