Ryan January, who has verbally committed to play baseball at Louisiana State University, has left the Salisbury School and is back at Swampscott High.
Swampscott athletic director Jon Flanagan confirmed that January is back at the high school and is currently trying out for the boys? basketball team.
January attended Swampscott High before transferring to the Salisbury School — perennially one of the most successful high school programs in the country — in Connecticut. At Swampscott he was named to The Item?s all-star team as a sophomore.
Last spring, January helped Salisbury to itsthird consecutiveWestern New England Prep Baseball Leaguetitle.
Derek January, Ryan?s father, said his son wanted to come back home.
?He just had a desire to come back and be with friends he?s been with since he was 7 or 8 years old,” Derek January said, adding that his son wanted to spend some time at home before heading off to college or wherever baseball might take him.
The 6-feet-3, 195-pound catcher cannot sign his letter of intent until November 2015. His father said nothing has changed as far as LSU. Ryan had planned to do a post-graduate year at Salisbury and will still do one, although he doesn?t know where that will be at this point.
?I?m excited to see him do well academically and make the adjustment back to Swampscott High,” Flanagan said.
?I think he was excited to be coming back to Swampscott.”
In committing to LSU, January will be playing in the Southeastern Conference, which is regarded as one of the top leagues in country for college baseball. Last year?s national champion Vanderbilt is also from the SEC.
The LSU Tigers were the top seed in their regional in last spring?s college baseball tournament, but were beaten out by Houston for a spot in the Super Regionals.
In an Item story in October, Derek January, said his son had also considered St. John?s University, Vanderbilt and Arizona State before deciding on LSU.
Ryan January?s grandfather, Don, is a noted baseball umpire and football official who played parts of four seasons in the Indians? and Red Sox? minor league systems. Ryan?s father, Derek, and uncle, Jeff, were stars at Swampscott High.
Ryan January has impressed scouts since his days in Swampscott youth baseball.
Swampscott High baseball coach Jason Calichman was excited by the possibility of seeing January back in the lineup.
?He?s a terrific player,” Calichman said. “He should instantly help our team. He?s one of the most feared hitters around. I look forward to coaching him this year.”
The Big Blue finished 5-15 last year and although Calichman said one player might not turn things around, if everyone works hard in the offseason, the team could be much improved.
When January played in Swampscott as a sophomore, he led the team in hitting with a .446 batting average. He had five home runs and 23 RBI.?Hopefully,” Calichman said, “with his bat in the lineup and everyone working hard we can have a much improved season.”
