SAS Student Impresses Scouts at Baseball Showcase
A Grade 12 student at Salmon Arm Secondary (SAS), Ryan James, is making a name for himself on the baseball field!
As a pitcher, Ryan recently participated in the Canadian College & University Showcase and has received several offers from Canadian post-secondary institutions. He has also received a call from a California Major League Baseball (MLB) scout. Ryan’s favourite part of the game is simple – striking players out. He hopes to pursue baseball through post-secondary education, with the hopes of one day playing professionally or being involved at a high level, potentially in areas like sports therapy.
Ryan started playing baseball in 2019 as a starting pitcher for U18 AAA baseball and College Prep baseball in the BC minor baseball system in Kamloops. For the past three years, he has opened the season as the starting pitcher. Ryan is joined on the Prep team by several other SD83 students, including Bradley Dawson, Ethan Harrison, Tate Spence, Eric Thompson, and Connor Steward from SAS, as well as Damon Golz of A.L. Fortune.
Ryan’s father, Bill, introduce him to baseball as a way to cope with the loss of his mother to a rare illness when he was just seven years old. Ryan initially played in Vernon’s Minor Baseball system before moving to Salmon Arm for Pee Wee AA and Bantam AAA.
“I found baseball was a way to take his mind off things and have some fun. His love for baseball grew from this and continued ever since. Ryan has always felt his mother gave him a special skill to play ball and be a pitcher when she passed,” shared Bill.
Ryan’s dedication to his training is evident in the countless hours he spends at the field, in the weight room, and with his team. He has participated in several off-season training programs focusing on strength, speed, and agility, as well as attended several baseball camps, including those offered by Okanagan College Coyotes Baseball (Kelowna), Big League Experience (Oliver) and one-on-one training with former MLB player/coach, Eric Owens in Kelowna.
On Saturday, March 2, 2024, Ryan participated in the Prep Baseball British Columbia showcase with the Canadian College & University Showcase at McLeod Athletic Park in Langley, British Columbia. This event featured players from the Vancouver area and beyond in the 2024 and 2025 classes and provided them with the opportunity to showcase their skills.
Ryan’s pitching skills were described as having a short, quick arm motion from a high ¾ slot creating deception with a fastball that reached up to 80 mph, sitting in the 79-80 mph range throughout his bullpen. He also demonstrated proficiency with two unique breaking balls: a slider with over 13 inches of horizontal break and a curveball with 10+ inches of induced vertical break. Also, he throws a splitter to kill spin and vertical break, complementing his fastball. With his ability to locate his repertoire for strikes, it’s expected that his performance will translate well into success during games.