Improved Confidence Helps Lamson Find Home At Princeton

Isaac Lamson 3B / SS / Phillips Academy, MA / 2024

STOW, Ma. - There have been a lot of mind games for Isaac Lamson over the past year-and-a-half when it comes to the recruiting process and baseball.

“It was very stressful,” the sixth-rated 2024 third baseman in New England related. “I played in a bunch of PBR events and that helped me, but the recruiting process is long. You have to play the waiting game. You need that mental toughness. If it’s going to happen it will happen, it’s about working through it and trusting your ability.”

That became an area of the game that improved for Lamson.

“It was mainly my confidence level,” the Phillips Academy Andover senior explained. “The start of my sophomore year was a tough time for me when I struggled at the plate. But I got confidence from my coach who believed in me. That helped me turn the corner. The biggest thing for me was not having nerves when I was playing baseball. It’s super calm for me now.”

It was late in his 10th grade year when recruitment began.

“I didn’t have a great season but my head coach, Kevin Graber, lit a fire, got me going and boosted my confidence,” Lamson reflected. “We were in the championship game and it was 3-3 when I hit a walkoff. That’s when the recruiting process took off. It was crucial. It’s when Princeton started talking to me and some other Ivy Leagues.”

A visit to Princeton helped the spirits of Lamson as well.

“When I first stepped on campus I loved it immediately,” Lamson said. “The facilities are amazing. I got in touch with (head coach) Scott Bradley and he liked the simplicity of my swing and how quick I was at the plate, how I can move around in the infield.”

Yale, Dartmouth, Cornell, Northwestern and UConn were others the fourth-ranked 2024 third baseman in Massachusetts was considering as the process slowed down until the spring.

“I had a strong season,” Lamson pointed out. “I didn’t have many offers but I posted how my season went and as soon as the season ended I got a couple calls. Coach (Alex) Jurczynski at Princeton eventually gave me an offer and I committed a day after.

“They made it to the finals of the Ivy League and beat Duke and Georgia this past year. Their goal is to go to the regionals and that’s what I want. I want a competitive team that wants to win, that was a big part of my decision. It’s an amazing school and I’m incredibly excited.”

Princeton found a lot to like about the 6-0 182-pounder.

“I’m very short to the ball and hard to get out,” Lamson said about what attracted Princeton. “Velo doesn’t phase me. If guys are in the 90s, it’s no problem, I’m strong against good pitching. They also like that I can steal bases, that I’m a team player who will do the job when at the plate and they like my versatility to play different positions.”

The decision to attend high school at Andover proved valuable in the eyes of the 92nd-rated 2024 in New England.

“I started thinking about playing college baseball early on, that’s one of the reasons I decided to go to Andover, to help me on this path,” the 17-year-old explained. “The selling point was all the good players they’ve had and the long legacy of players going to great schools. I’m so happy it happened for me. All the stress went away.”

Lamson, who carries a 5.2 GPA on a 6.0 scale at Andover, is leaning toward a major in economics and finance.

“Princeton is one of the best academic schools in the country and I know it will be tough, but Andover set me up for this, they challenge me already,” Lamson said.

Past experiences will help the cause when it comes to what he can provide the Ivy League program according to Lamson.

“On and off the field I’m a huge locker room guy,” Lamson explained. “I love to win. Playing with the Ruffnecks and Andover taught me about playing a team game. That’s how I’ve played baseball my whole life and that’s something I can bring to Princeton.”

There is more that Lamson is anticipating at the university in New Jersey, four hours from home.

“I’m looking forward to the competitive spirit Princeton has in the Ivy League,” Lamson concluded. “It’s a very serious league and I’m super excited to go a little south and play on a competitive team and face all those big-named teams. I want to help put Princeton on the map and showcase the school and myself. I want to win the Ivy and go to regionals and beyond.”