Recent Soquel High graduate Dylan Hull — a talented and successful right-handed pitcher on the Knights’ league championship baseball team — was all set to continue his academic and athletic careers at Cabrillo College in the fall.
But, things took a fortuitous turn after he attended a camp at UC Davis three weeks ago. The first-team All-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League pitcher not only attended, he shined. So much so, that a week later, coaches at the NCAA Division I program reached out to him and offered him a spot on their team.
Hull agreed, making him the second Knights baseball player to lock down D-I plans after graduating. (Outfielder Sam Whelan, also a star quarterback, agreed to a walk-on spot on Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo’s football team.)
“I’m stoked,” said Hull, who announced his decision on social media on Thursday. “I’m excited to put my head down and work hard to become a better version of myself and compete for a spot.”
Soquel head coach T.J. Moran knows the Aggies are getting a good one.
“Dylan controls the moment,” Moran said. “He’s very thoughtful and meticulous with everything he does. He lives for pressure, has a second-to-none work ethic, and he’s extremely intelligent. On top of that, he throws a hard and heavy ball that he locates with pin-point accuracy. I’m very proud and stoked for him. He has a bright future.”
Soquel High pitcher Dylan Hull pitched 10 1/3 scoreless innings in the playoffs in 2026. (Raul Ebio – Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Hull, who graduated from Soquel with a cumulative 3.94 grade-point average, plans to major in environmental science or economics.
Hull thanked Matt Rossignol, of Rossy’s Training in Scotts Valley, for reaching out to UC Davis to put in a good word. Hull also was grateful for endorsements from Knights pitching coach Greg Koenig and incoming Aggies freshman Joey Raffo, a Harbor alum, to UC Davis coaches.
Hull, who features a fastball that touches the low 90s, a solid cutter, curve, and splitter in his arsenal, believes he had a solid showing at UC Davis’ camp, but felt it could’ve been better.
“My stuff has good life,” said Hull, of his pitch movement. “It was good stuff. It didn’t get hit that well.”
Apparently, Aggies head coach Tommy Nicholson, and two of his assistants Andrew Ayers and Sky Valenzuela liked what they saw.
Aggies pitching coach Zack Thornton didn’t see Hull pitch live, but they’ve spoken three times since Hull committed.
Hull is excited to learn from his coach. “He has a good resume,” he said. “He pitched at Sac State and in the minors.”
Hull believes the Aggies, who went 26-28 overall in 2026, are loaded with talent and ready to transition from the Big West Conference to Mountain West Conference, which features several programs that compete at elevation, which is more favorable for hitters than it is pitchers.
Hull and Raffo are training partners at Rossy’s and “super close.” He’s comforted by the fact that they get to begin their college baseball journey together.
Hull went 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA over 45.2 innings last season for the Knights (23-6), who reached the Central Coast Section Division I championship game and qualified for the CIF NorCal Regional playoffs for the first time in program history. He gave up 25 hits, 25 walks, 14 earned runs, and struck out 52 batters. He was brilliant in the playoffs, pitching 10 1/3 scoreless innings.