UConn Baseball Recruiting and Commitment Thread

[dbmill]

 

[huskymedic]

(Shortcut)

-> Connor Lane, Old Saybrook, Sr., C/P: The 6-3 UConn commit hit .512 with a .607 OBP, 1.623 OPS, seven doubles, 27 RBIs, 20 runs and a school-record nine home runs. On the mound, had 32 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched working as a reliever. Was GameTimeCT first-team, CHSCA All-State, All-Shoreline Conference first team and the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year.<-

 

[huskymedic]

Just dropping this here as well: Jordan committed to UConn Football today:

 

[dbmill]

Just dropping this here as well: Jordan committed to UConn Football today:

Perfectgame.org is now listing Jordan Rich as a UConn baseball recruit:

Jordan Rich Class of 2025 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA

Jordan Rich Class of 2025 Perfect Game Player Profile

www.perfectgame.org

 

[dbmill]

 

[huskymedic]

Perfectgame.org is now listing Jordan Rich as a UConn baseball recruit:

Jordan Rich Class of 2025 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA

Jordan Rich Class of 2025 Perfect Game Player Profile

www.perfectgame.org

2025 UConn Football Commit - Jordan Rich (Plantation, Florida)

Jordan Rich is a 5-10 175lb DB from American Heritage High School, Plantation, Florida. Jordan was on campus last weekend for Junior Day. Other offer from Western Michigan. Highlights * Now need to figure out if he’s baseball, football or both* ;)

the-boneyard.com

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

 

[dbmill]

UConn baseball is getting another Cal JUCO transfer. Grant MacArther is a 1B/3B from San Joaquin Delta College.

 

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[Bomber36]

Another 2 way player? He looks to fit the mold.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

Assisted access <<

-> UConn is by no means the fallback plan. The Huskies were the first college program to show interest, Connor said. They saw him when he played for the CT Mets in the fall of 2021. UConn invited Lane to a prospect camp the following winter and offered a scholarship in March of 2022.

Lane accepted immediately.

“He’s got a great arm. I like the way he commands the game from behind the plate,” UConn baseball coach Jim Penders said. “He can frame patches very well. I like his bat speed. … I think he is someone who will blossom in our program.”

UConn recruited Lane as a catcher, the position he has played since he started playing baseball at age 10. Having had successful catchers come through the program — like former Amity-Woodbridge standout Pat Winkel, now in Triple-A for the Minnesota Twins — Penders easily sees Lane with having that possibility if he becomes a Husky.

“He has the intangibles to be a great catcher,” Penders said.

Yet, Penders understands the interest scouts have in Lane because of the righthander’s velocity. Lane himself is open to either position.

“I love pitching and I love catching. I'm not swayed towards either one,” Lane said. “I’m not a diehard, ‘I need to catch or else I’m not going to play baseball.’ I will play whatever position that will take me the furthest and give me the best chance at having the best future possible.” <-

 

[Omahabound]

Assisted access <<

-> UConn is by no means the fallback plan. The Huskies were the first college program to show interest, Connor said. They saw him when he played for the CT Mets in the fall of 2021. UConn invited Lane to a prospect camp the following winter and offered a scholarship in March of 2022.

Lane accepted immediately.

“He’s got a great arm. I like the way he commands the game from behind the plate,” UConn baseball coach Jim Penders said. “He can frame patches very well. I like his bat speed. … I think he is someone who will blossom in our program.”

UConn recruited Lane as a catcher, the position he has played since he started playing baseball at age 10. Having had successful catchers come through the program — like former Amity-Woodbridge standout Pat Winkel, now in Triple-A for the Minnesota Twins — Penders easily sees Lane with having that possibility if he becomes a Husky.

“He has the intangibles to be a great catcher,” Penders said.

Yet, Penders understands the interest scouts have in Lane because of the righthander’s velocity. Lane himself is open to either position.

“I love pitching and I love catching. I'm not swayed towards either one,” Lane said. “I’m not a diehard, ‘I need to catch or else I’m not going to play baseball.’ I will play whatever position that will take me the furthest and give me the best chance at having the best future possible.” <-

This seems to be more inline with what previous recruiting cycles consisted of. A borderline loss to the MLB draft out of hs, otherwise, a really good 3 year player who’s talent allows them to win at the highest levels. More importantly, the staff can coach and develop these guys rather then try and undue some fundamentals lapses (ie base running bunting situational baseball), that’s plagued them this season and everything they have won with in the past. Now if they can get a Top 5 or 10 rd selection to choose college after signing with UConn. They don’t get enough of those signees. I know it’s not easy but I think it’s possible.

 

[Shortking98]

This seems to be more inline with what previous recruiting cycles consisted of. A borderline loss to the MLB draft out of hs, otherwise, a really good 3 year player who’s talent allows them to win at the highest levels. More importantly, the staff can coach and develop these guys rather then try and undue some fundamentals lapses (ie base running bunting situational baseball), that’s plagued them this season and everything they have won with in the past. Now if they can get a Top 5 or 10 rd selection to choose college after signing with UConn. They don’t get enough of those signees. I know it’s not easy but I think it’s possible.

Gabriel Tirado is another name to watch as a potential draft guy this year. Typically the teams have conversations beforehand to know the number for these guys and won’t risk a pick in the top 10 rounds if it sounds like they are going to college. Last year it only happened with 1 player and only 3 the year before. Those numbers are including all unsigned draft picks in the top 10 rounds and I believe a couple of them were college guys who came back rather than high school players. I guess what I am saying is if a recruit gets picked in the top 10 rounds we should all lower our expectations of seeing them in Storrs to close to 0. Highly rated guys who get picked beyond that point, those you may be able to still dream on.

 

[Omahabound]

Gabriel Tirado is another name to watch as a potential draft guy this year. Typically the teams have conversations beforehand to know the number for these guys and won’t risk a pick in the top 10 rounds if it sounds like they are going to college. Last year it only happened with 1 player and only 3 the year before. Those numbers are including all unsigned draft picks in the top 10 rounds and I believe a couple of them were college guys who came back rather than high school players. I guess what I am saying is if a recruit gets picked in the top 10 rounds we should all lower our expectations of seeing them in Storrs to close to 0. Highly rated guys who get picked beyond that point, those you may be able to still dream on.

Ok then change it from Rounds 5-10 to 15-20. My point is the same. You don’t sign enough of these guys a cycle to ever have that problem. UConn most likely will never be able to recruit top 10 rd. talent yearly, but they can sign that borderline 15-20 round talent. It doesn’t matter where they go in the actual drafts, if you sign 2-3 guys every cycle and get one to campus, you’ll have a staff of elite arms, not a Wallace or Poulin or Fogell. A talent like those guys alone on an entire staff is not enough. And it’s not every year, they have an arm on the roster with that talent. That is not a Dream On scenario. This tops in New England is suffice is old. Excuses excuses excuses. You can find and recruit these guys, you don’t want to.

 

[huskymedic]

You can find and recruit these guys, you don’t want to.

Who is this “you”?

 

[Shortking98]

Ok then change it from Rounds 5-10 to 15-20. My point is the same. You don’t sign enough of these guys a cycle to ever have that problem. UConn most likely will never be able to recruit top 10 rd. talent yearly, but they can sign that borderline 15-20 round talent. It doesn’t matter where they go in the actual drafts, if you sign 2-3 guys every cycle and get one to campus, you’ll have a staff of elite arms, not a Wallace or Poulin or Fogell. A talent like those guys alone on an entire staff is not enough. And it’s not every year, they have an arm on the roster with that talent. That is not a Dream On scenario. This tops in New England is suffice is old. Excuses excuses excuses. You can find and recruit these guys, you don’t want to.

Agreed to an extent. The last two years they haven’t had those type of recruits which reflects on the current team. I don’t think anyone advocates actively avoiding those type of players. I think the good news is that this year they seem to be back into that range with a few recruits on the draft radar again.

 

[Omahabound]

Who is this “you”?

Enough dude. You want an answer. How’s “you”. Typical, “tops in New England homer” instead of wanting to see a program ascend upwards (like You’re basketball program) and not be a regional power, u reply with this garbage. Stay New England Champs. You can’t even beat BC or NE.

The BE has really improved though

 

[huskymedic]

Enough dude. You want an answer. How’s “you”. Typical, “tops in New England homer” instead of wanting to see a program ascend upwards (like You’re basketball program) and not be a regional power, u reply with this garbage. Stay New England Champs. You can’t even beat BC or NE.

The BE has really improved though

I knew it - just took longer to come out than I thought it would… helps my optics! Welcome to #HookC Baseball.

 

[Omahabound]

I knew it - just took longer to come out than I thought it would… helps my optics! Welcome to #HookC Baseball.

Nobody cares.

 

[hardcorehusky]

I heard a story about a H.S. recruit we had a few years ago who was drafted. Penders and staff spoke to the scouts to get a feel where he would be drafted so they knew where they stood with the player. Well, a team took the player early (after saying they wouldn't) and UConn lost the recruit. Let's just say, that wound up hurting us when our pitching became depleted during the Super Regional.

Bottom line, recruiting is difficult, add in NIL, limited scholarships, lots of moving parts.

 

[Omahabound]

I heard a story about a H.S. recruit we had a few years ago who was drafted. Penders and staff spoke to the scouts to get a feel where he would be drafted so they knew where they stood with the player. Well, a team took the player early (after saying they wouldn't) and UConn lost the recruit. Let's just say, that wound up hurting us when our pitching became depleted during the Super Regional.

Bottom line, recruiting is difficult, add in NIL, limited scholarships, lots of moving parts.

I’m sure it is difficult, no doubt about it. I hope they continue to go after these guys because having that depth might have been the difference. It could be again.