Earlier this spring, Swampscott High teammates Nick Reiser and Dylan January thought that their time playing baseball together could be over. After the COVID-19 pandemic shut down spring sports and canceled the baseball season before it could begin, the longtime friends and teammates were facing the end of their time together.
Until they both ended up signing with the North Shore Navigators.
“I was more upset for our class of seniors than anything individually,” Reiser said of losing the spring season. “We were a really tight-knit group who played together a lot, so it was tough to see us not get to finish things. I knew it wouldn’t be my last time playing baseball, but it was the last time we’d all be playing together, so that was tough.”
“I was actually visiting my brother (Ryan January) in Arizona (at Arizona Diamondbacks spring training camp) when we heard everything getting shut down, so at first like everyone else we were taking things day-by-day,” said January, who was coming off a strong season helping lead the Big Blue football team to the Division 5 Super Bowl title in the fall. “We were really looking forward to taking that momentum from fall into the spring, but unfortunately we all missed out on the season.”
With the spring season lost, both Reiser and January turned their attention toward their upcoming college baseball careers at Franklin Pierce University — Reiser as a pitcher and January as a catcher. But before that, the duo signed with the Navigators for the summer to prepare for the next level.
“You’re playing with and against great players every day, and there’s nothing better than that,” said January. “I’ve just been picking the brains of my coaches and the players who have played in this league for a few years and trying to keep learning. Obviously I have a lot more to learn, but I’ve been having a blast so far.”
“I love everything about the team and the organization and I’m so happy to be a part of it,” said Reiser. “This is a lot different than what I’ve been used to in high school baseball. These guys are all great hitters and great players, so it’s challenging at times. But I’ve really been leaning on some great coaches and some veteran players and that’s really been helping.”
And of course, having a close friend as a teammate is always a bonus. Reiser and January have been playing baseball either against or with each other for practically their entire lives, and they’ll be playing together for another four years at Franklin Pierce.
“We’ve been playing together since we were 12 and we played against each other before that, so it’s been a long time,” Reiser said. “He’s my best friend and he’s a great guy, so it’s been awesome having him as a teammate all this time.”
“It’s great being able to continue playing with Nick even after all these years,” January said. “Plus, it’s great having a friend to drive all the way to New Britain and Pittsfield with for games.”
As for their goals for this summer, both Reiser and January are just trying to get better every day. The duo is hoping to use this summer as a springboard into successful starts at Franklin Pierce, and both believe the Navigators are the best place to do that.
“I think the biggest thing is just making the transition from high school-level to college-level baseball, which is a big jump,” said January. “Your senior season is usually when you try to separate yourself from high school baseball and become a college player, and we all missed out on that. So hopefully this summer being around all these great players and coaches will help me in that same way. There’s also a few guys on the team who play at Franklin Pierce, so it’s been great to get to know them as well.”
“I want to become a more efficient pitcher in terms of getting outs and locating my pitches,” said Reiser. “Watching these college hitters, they know what they’re doing. You have to be precise and versatile when you pitch at this level, so I’m working on getting better at that aspect of my game.”
The Navigators are back in action Friday evening (6) against the Nashua Silver Knights at Fraser Field.