Walsh To Follow In His Father's Footsteps At GW

Charlie Walsh SS / RHP / Belmont Hill, MA / 2024

LEXINGTON, Ma. - Charlie Walsh has grown up hearing stories about his father’s days playing baseball at George Washington. The Belmont Hill junior now hopes to make his own memories at the university in Washington, D.C., following a recent commitment to play at the Atlantic 10 Conference school.

“They originally saw me in the summer, playing a couple of times in Georgia, the last being the Future Games which helped a lot,” Walsh reflected. “When I was first in contact with them was Sept. 1 when my high school coach said George Washington wants to speak with you on the phone. My dad played there so that made it more attractive to me. He really enjoyed his time there and I enjoy all his stories. That made me more interested.”

A first visit took place in late fall.

“I did a workout while I was there,” the fourth-rated junior shortstop in Massachusetts related. “Once I got home they called and offered. I knew that was what I wanted to take, but I wanted to give it some more thought so I went back down there.

“I knew I loved the coaching staff,” Walsh continued about his most recent trip to GW, which included more conversation with head coach Gregg Ritchie and the assistants. “Coach Ritchie is a big reason I wanted to go there. We had a great connection. The second time I went I was getting a feel of the team culture and how much they love each other. It was nice to see a bunch of guys that enjoy spending time with each other and working hard.”

There was a lot about the 5-9 175-pound left-handed hitting Walsh that stood out to George Washington.

“They liked an array of things,” noted Walsh, who just turned 18 on April 16. “Defensive-wise, they really like my glove and my arm strength. They said I have a savvy IQ for the position and that I could play right away in the field. There was also my speed and bat.”

A commitment brought an end to a recruiting process that, admittedly, had some good and bad times.

“My recruitment had ups and downs the way things went,” Walsh explained. “It was hot to start, coming in as a freshman I got a lot of attention early on. But when Covid hit it was tough. I didn’t get the opportunity to play my freshman year and I played minimal games that summer which hurt. I’m not much of a physical specimen so it’s important to see me play in person.

“I went to PBR showcases and to get on that stage was very, very important with coaches not getting to see you play in high school.”

Visits came early on to Boston College and Wake Forest while more recently contact was made with the likes of Quinnipiac, Holy Cross, Bucknell and UMass before George Washington entered the mix.

“I always knew I could play, but I had no expectations and tried to keep my options open,” the 10th-ranked 2024 shortstop in New England said. “For me, I really love the city there. It’s beautiful and the academics are great. I also really like the staff and the locker room vibe.”

Walsh is confident he can provide a spark to the program.

“They’re gonna get a gamer,” Walsh noted. “I just love to play. I grew up with the game and love being scrappy on defense. Coach Ritchie has the program on the rise, it’s really trending upward, and it will be nice to bring an A-10 title back when I’m there.”

A major in business and a minor in finance or psychology are the educational plans for Walsh, who is happy to know where his college future lies.

“It was not only a feeling of relief knowing I had achieved my first step,, but with baseball being the sport I love, it feels good to know my career is not over after high school,” Walsh explained. “My dad was skeptical at first. As a GW alum he didn’t want me to rush, but he was very excited when I chose it.”

The thought of going to George Washington brings an abundance of enthusiasm to the 40th-rated junior in New England.

“Growing up in Boston, I’ve already lived in one of the better cities in the world and I’m looking forward to another one in DC,” Walsh said. “There are a lot of advantages to going there with a chance to set myself up for life afterward. I’m excited to get on campus with the staff. In my opinion, coach Ritchie can make me the best player I can be.”

And who knows, perhaps there will be a lot of stories to tell in the future.

“My dad has a ton of stories,” Walsh related. “He said they had a good club when he was there and when they were playing LSU their shortstop hit the longest home run he’d ever seen a shortstop hit. It was three-quarters up the scoreboard. Another story is this pitcher had not walked a batter in a long, long time, but walked him the first time he was up. On his next at-bat the first pitch hit him in the middle of the back.

“It’s good to hear his memories,” Walsh concluded. “That’s the path I want to take.”