Lucas Rich discusses being named Patriot League’s top incoming baseball player

Lehigh freshman baseball player Lucas Rich was recently named the top incoming recruit in the Patriot League by Perfect Game, a baseball scouting service.

Rich joins a Lehigh pitching staff that already features prominent senior Matt Svanson, junior Luke Rettig and junior Mason Black, a potential early round MLB draft pick.

“It’s a great honor to be named the top recruit in the Patriot league, but at the same time, I’m seeing it as motivation,” Rich said. “It essentially doesn’t mean anything if I don’t show up, compete and be that number one rookie in the Patriot League.” 

Rich said his decision to attend Lehigh to pursue his baseball career was influenced by head coach Sean Leary, the team dynamic and being introduced to several high-level pitchers with MLB potential.

It was not only seeing the pitchers play, but knowing that they would be there to help improve his own craft that aided his decision, Rich said. 

He said the pause on sports has not stopped him and his team’s motivation for winning this season. 

“We are getting ready and prepared as much as possible, so that when we do get that opportunity to go back on the field, we perform to the best of our abilities,” Rich said. 

Pitching coach Sean Buchanan described Lucas as a valuable asset to the team. 

Buchanan, who enters his first year as pitching coach in 2021, said having a young pitcher like Rich leaves room for improvement and a promising future.

“Lucas (Rich) has high energy, is inquisitive, has a desire to continue to improve himself and has a strong passion for what he does,” Buchanan said. “Those are the qualities that make up who he is and those are the qualities that make him a valuable addition to our team.”

Buchanan said Rich’s pitching repertoire and skill exceeded his expectations for freshmen baseball players. 

“A lot of times when you get a young player in, it takes some time for them to learn, grow and figure things out,” Buchanan said. “Lucas was able to come to us already with that college level baseball player stamina and skillfulness.”

Buchanan said he hopes Rich works his hardest and gives the best version of himself in 2021. 

Teddy Tolliver, another freshman baseball pitcher, said Rich has been one of the kindest and most helpful players on the team. 

“He’s always willing to give a helping hand, whether it’s for homework or giving advice to other players,” Tolliver said. “He’s just overall a really great guy and a great addition to our team.” 

Tolliver said Rich is one of the hardest working players on the team and works diligently in and outside of the practices, before they were indefinitely shut down on Sept. 29.

“He is always in his room either doing push ups, situps, or body weights on his own because he knows he has to work harder to be the best,” Tolliver said.

Tolliver said he hopes he and Rich can make an impact as freshman pitchers and amass a lot of innings on the mound to help their team be successful. 

Rich said the goal for this season is to work hard, compete and do whatever it takes to help Lehigh win the Patriot League Championship and get to the NCAA Tournament.

“Everyone on our team has the same mentality,” Rich said. “We know what our roles are, we know what we have to do, and we are going to do everything in our power to get us toward those goals.”