From Coaching to Playing, Hoy Making Transition with Ease
AtL Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

From Coaching to Playing, Hoy Making Transition with Ease

Published on July 18, 2026 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs News Release


As an athlete, the decision to pivot from a playing career is never an easy one. There are many options to stay around the sport, including coaching. Once a player makes that decision to step away from a playing career, though, it can be very difficult to get back onto a professional roster. It can be even more difficult to find a place to make your professional debut after a few seasons away from playing. Blue Crabs infielder Dylan Hoy is proving to be an exception to this trend as he is in his first professional season with Southern Maryland.

Hoy signed with the Blue Crabs on May 26 after coaching for the last two collegiate baseball seasons. He was an assistant coach at Army West Point this spring, helping the Black Knights win a share of the Patriot League Regular Season Championship while setting a program record with a .981 fielding percentage. He had spent the 2025 season as a graduate assistant at Louisville, helping the team reach the College World Series while setting a program record with 162 stolen bases.

"I've always had coaching in my blood and I've loved it," said Hoy. "Coaching the guys and teaching the game not only made me realize how much I loved [baseball], but it made me realize the different mental cues of the game. I felt like I went wrong with playing for so long, I put so much mental pressure on myself when all you have to do is just play the game the right way in the right situations."

The 25-year old takes what he learned from coaching and implements it in how he plays every night for the Blue Crabs.

"You can't live and die with the small numbers, like batting average and errors. Once you're able to get away from that, you're able to play free. So I wanted to truly test that. [Coaching] has helped me redefine what success is within the game."

Although Hoy's dream of playing professionally was deferred, his connection to Blue Crabs bench coach and assistant general manager Albert Gonzalez helped him reignite his passion for playing the game.

"I'm super close with Bert. I was going to go play for him with the [New Jersey] Jackals out of college, but I took that opportunity at Louisville. We stayed in touch ever since and it happened that the stars aligned so I was able to play with the Blue Crabs."

Prior to coaching, Hoy spent four seasons as an infielder at Marist before finishing his collegiate career at Louisville. As a native of Suffern, NY who spent his first four years of school in the Empire State, he is thriving in his time outside of the Northeast.

"It's so much better because I'm not a cold-weather player. It would be 20 degrees when I was practicing and I was like, 'This is awful.' Then you're expected to hit a 92 mile-per-hour fastball or a nasty breaking ball with four long sleeves on. Not to say that you can't play in the cold, but playing in the warm weather helps out so much."

Plenty of factors are working in Hoy's favor through his first 25 professional games. He has batted .265 with three home runs and 13 RBI.

"I'm just fortunate to be able to play. To come into a place like this and be welcomed is phenomenal. Then that first-half run we had, joining a winning culture and winning atmosphere, has been something I could have only dreamed of."

He has also been quick to strike a chord with the fanbase in Southern Maryland. Over this past week, he came to Regency Furniture Stadium early to help with a baseball camp for local youth players.

"The fans have been outstanding. It's really nice to have the support system we have here. The kids are great, too. I've been able to talk to them a bunch."

Although winning a championship remains the ultimate goal for Hoy, he also hopes that he can help his teammates reach their potential.

"A lot of guys want to sign to play at the next level, but in order to do that, you have to be the best version of yourself. Don't go and chase the result, but be yourself. To get everybody on that same path, that'll be a success."

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have been proud members of the Atlantic League since 2008, the fourth-longest tenured team in the league. With a proud tradition of success on and off the field, many players have found a home while playing in front of Crustacean Nation, the nickname for the Blue Crabs' avid fanbase. A host of former Major Leaguers have played for the Blue Crabs, including Chien-Ming Wang, Pat Mahomes Sr., and team legend Daryl Thompson. Many players have also made it to the Major Leagues after playing with Southern Maryland, including Isaac Mattson of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 2026 marks the 18th season of Blue Crabs baseball at Regency Furniture Stadium, where Clawsome Times Await.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 18, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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