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-> 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.” <-
