Boston College Baseball Recruiting: Thomas Lane Verbally Commits to BC

Phillips Academy sophomore pitcher Thomas Lane has verbally committed to Boston College. The 6'4" righthander from Georgetown, MA chose BC over offers from William & Mary and Fordham, but he also drew interest from ACC rivals Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Duke, among others.

"I visited the campus in June, and I absolutely loved it," said Lane in a recent interview. "BC gives me a chance to play in the ACC, but I can also play close to home. It's going to be an amazing opportunity, and I really like what Coach (Mike) Gambino and Coach (Scott) Friedholm have to offer."

Lane also received interest from East Carolina, Georgetown, and Northeastern. He helped Phillips Academy to its second consecutive Central New England Prep Championship while averaging almost two strikeouts per inning. He is playing this summer with Legends Baseball for former Eagle Ryan Leahy. Leahy was a farmhand in the Angels organization and also played in the early part of the 21st century with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

A three-pitch pitcher with a fastball touching in the low 90s, he is capable of varying a four-seam heater with a two-seam pitch. He also can throw a slider and a changeup. Before arriving at The Heights, and with his tenure upcoming, he is hoping to develop a cutter to fill out his repertoire. His greatest asset, though, is his composure. "Coach Gambino said that he really liked how I can get through any jam or any issue on the mound," he said, "and that's something that will be my biggest asset when you're playing in a great league like the ACC."

As a 2015 HS graduate, it's possible Lane could sniff the Major League Baseball draft, especially given his size and ability to throw a burner. But still, he's looking forward to making an impact in the rebuilding process at BC. "I've followed this past spring really closely," he said, "and one of the things that I noticed was the amount of freshmen and younger players that played. By the time I get there (to BC), they'll be seniors and upperclassmen who I can learn from. I already know some other guys that committed to BC, and the future is really bright. I know that the current rebuild will get the program to the next level, which is why I'm so excited to be a part of this. I'm really looking forward to competing in a league like the ACC with great competition."

Congratulations to Thomas Lane, and welcome to The Heights! We'll see you in the fall of '15!