Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Jackson Giacone alongside his parents Kathy and Jason at Thursday’s letter signing ceremony.

By Ray Hamill — Jackson Giacone signed up for the next chapter in his baseball journey on Thursday, but he’s hoping it won’t be the last one.

The Eureka senior, who verbally committed to play collegiately at Cal State Fullerton last year, made it official when he signed his national letter of intent in front of a group of teammates, coaches, family and friends at Eureka High School.

The Titans are a West Coast powerhouse and have made 18 appearances in the College World Series, while winning four national championships.

And it’s precisely that winning resume that attracted the Eureka standout.

“Just the history they have. They’re always going to Omaha, always working hard, and they get a lot of guys on to the next level,” he said.

They certainly do.

In September of this year, former Fullerton player Connor Seabold became the 71st Titan to make it to Major League Baseball when he debuted with the Boston Red Sox.

Giacone is hoping to someday add to that number.

He put himself on Fullerton’s radar at a tournament in Arizona in the fall of 2019 while playing for the NorCal Baseball Club out of the Bay Area.

The Titans offered him a scholarship, and after an official visit Giacone was sold on the program and facilities.

“I love the campus. It’s nice there,” he said, before adding with a chuckle, “and it’s got great weather. Much warmer than here. So I love that.”

Giacone has played a big role for the Loggers since his freshman year at the school and has also developed his game with playing for NorCal.

It has involved a lot of traveling, including trips this year for tournaments in Fresno, Louisiana, the Bay Area and Arizona, and if that wasn’t enough, he also travels to work with a hitting coach in Santa Rosa every couple of weeks.

Submitted photo – Jackson Giacone playing with NorCal Baseball

All the hard work, however, is paying off for the Eureka senior.

Before he embarks on the next exciting chapter, Giacone still has a senior season on the diamond to look forward to.

And he’s got plans for that.

“I want to get through the year healthy and prepare for next year, and I want to be a good teammate and show the younger guys what to do,” he said. “And I’d like to win the Charlie Lakin Tournament again and go a little bit into the playoffs.”

Submitted photo – Eureka’s Jackson Giacone, left, and Arcata’s Nick Parker were teammates with NorCal Baseball this year.

As for what he’ll remember most from his days at Eureka?

“Honestly, just my friends and the good memories I have,” he said. “Everyone here’s been good to me, and all the baseball and basketball trips were fun.”

Giacone becomes the second H-DNL player to sign a letter of intent to play at a Division-I college in the past week, joining St. Bernard’s pitcher Nick Dugan, who has committed his future to Stanford.

Arcata’s Merek Sears also is playing D-I baseball at Washington State.