Mission Hills High School junior pitcher and infielder Dax Hyde, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, announced his commitment to UC Santa Barbara on Oct. 19.
“They are very successful at getting guys drafted and are great with pitchers and development,” Hyde said. “They’ve also believed in me with Tommy John and that means a lot to me.”
UCSB has produced 76 MLB Draft picks during coach Andrew Checketts’ tenure, including 41 pitchers, the university said. The Gauchos had the first pitcher selected in consecutive drafts, with Tyler Bremner going No. 2 overall to the Los Angeles Angels in 2025 and Jackson Flora going No. 4 to the San Francisco Giants in 2026.
Mission Hills head coach Griffin Teisher said UCSB’s baseball program and academic reputation make it a strong fit for Hyde.
“UCSB is a great match for him as one of the top baseball schools on the west coast as well as academically as a very prestigious UC school,” Teisher said. “We hope this is just the start to a very long baseball career for him.”
Hyde injured his elbow in May while pitching against Torrey Pines. He felt something in his elbow after throwing a slider in the fourth inning but experienced no pain. An MRI the following day revealed a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament, and he underwent surgery July 9.
Hyde said he had begun upper-body weight training and was preparing to resume hitting. His first throwing session was planned for Jan. 9. Teisher said Hyde is expected to return to pitching next summer and should be able to hit for Mission Hills this spring.
Hyde continued hitting after the injury but did not throw a baseball for the remainder of the season. At UCSB, Teisher said he is expected to contribute as both a pitcher and hitter.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Hyde hit .320 with 33 hits, five home runs, 11 doubles and 22 RBIs as a sophomore. On the mound, he struck out 63 batters in 45 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .210 batting average.
Mission Hills finished 17-15 overall last season and went 10-5 in Palomar League play, finishing second.
Hyde also played guard on Mission Hills’ basketball team during his first two years of high school. He said he will give up basketball following surgery to concentrate on baseball.
“I just want to focus on baseball now,” Hyde said.
Neil Jamison, who coached Hyde during his freshman season, said Hyde’s professional aspirations and attention to detail stood out early in his high school career.
“I think the end goal for him is definitely professional baseball, and he has the ability to get there,” Jamison said. “He’s an incredibly hard worker, focused on all aspects — from the mental side to biomechanics — and he’s rigid with his routines.”
Hyde’s father, Danny, said his son’s dedication dates to age 14, when he decided he wanted to do more than simply play baseball.
“We’re so proud of Daxton. When he decided at 14 that he didn’t just want to play baseball but be a baseball player, he’s dedicated himself day in and day out, sacrificing a lot of the things teenagers do in his pursuit of excellence. We support him and are enjoying the journey of his success,” Danny said.
