Burke Finds ‘Dream Come True’ At Lafayette

Ryan Burke RHP / RHP / The Winchendon School, MA / 2025

SUDBURY, Ma. - Close to two dozen schools reached out to Ryan Burke when last year’s Aug.1 deadline for incoming high school juniors hit.

There were visits and offers from that point on, with the 18th-rated 2025 right-handed pitcher in New England eventually found what he was looking for in a college.

“I took a few visits and loved all of them but they weren’t the right click with academics or how the school operated or baseball,” the Winchendon School junior explained. “Some came with offers.”

Then came the visit that Burke was hoping to find.

“As soon as I got to Lafayette I knew it was where I wanted to be,” Burke noted. “The coaches want to win and have you become a better man. They care about you, not just as a player but as a person.”

Burke pointed to the Future Games as helping bring interest in his recruiting process, including from Lafayette.

“It started with the Top Prospect Games at Clark University,” Burke said. “Then making the Future Games team changed my whole recruitment. When I went to the Future Games coaches from all over the country jumped on my recruitment. I went from looking just in the east to all over. It was the turning point for me.

“The Lafayette coaches saw my video posted after the Future Games and invited me on a visit. As soon as I stepped on campus I knew I loved it.”

That came in early winter and, after long consideration, the 39th-ranked junior in New England made a commitment bringing an end to a quest to play at the next level that began just a few years back.

“When I transferred from Lincoln Sudbury to Winchendon, college baseball became serious to me,” Burke related. “It was a big change being at a Prep School. After my first game freshman year a bunch of Division I commits were telling me I could get where they are.”

Lafayette found the 6-3 185-pounder with a lot of qualities that stood out.

“They like how I’m athletic on the mound and how I attack hitters,” Burke explained. “They like how I throw from a ¾ slot, and how I throw hard.”

The eighth-rated junior RHP in Massachusetts gave credit to a number of people in helping get where he is today.

“I worked hard with different pitching coaches on how to work around the zone,” Burke noted. “I also put on weight to help me throw faster.

“Coach Dan Sullivan at Nokona helped me realize my potential and worked with me on what schools were realistic for me,” added Burke who also pointed to John Murphy with Elite Sports Advisors with playing a role in his recruitment. “John Toffey at Winchendon helped me more on the academic side, pushing me to go to a very prestigious college and I ended up at one.”

A 3.6 student uncertain of a college major, Burke is excited about what he can bring to the baseball program located in Easton, Pa.

“I definitely feel I will compete and push everyone around me to be a better pitcher and a better player,” Burke said.

The 16th-rated 2025 in Massachusetts admitted a commitment brought on a feeling of excitement.

“The realization of committing to a Division I school was a dream come true,” Burke said. “My goal was always to play Division I and I ended up committing to a school that I couldn’t believe.”

Heading off to a college five hours from home brings a lot of anticipation for the 18-year-old.

“I’m looking forward to winning, I love winning,” Burke concluded. “I’m looking forward to playing in the Patriot League and looking forward to a change of scenery, getting further away from home and growing as a human.”