Luke Waldeck ’26 has been playing baseball since T-ball, and now, as a senior captain of the Belmont Hill baseball team, he hopes to add to his already impressive individual and team resume with an ISL championship. In addition to playing baseball growing up, Luke also played basketball and soccer; however, when he entered high school, he dedicated himself solely to baseball. Luke joined Belmont Hill as a sophomore after attending The Fenn School. Outside of school, Luke has spent his summers playing for North East Baseball (NEB).
Adversity has defined Luke’s Belmont Hill career. Before his sophomore year, he underwent Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the entire 2023 campaign and much of his first junior season. The extended recovery time forced Luke to reclassify and repeat his junior year. However, another injury derailed him, causing him to miss three-quarters of the season. Despite these setbacks, Luke has done everything he could to help the team become successful. Junior outfielder Rylan Flynn, 27, said: “Even while fighting his own injuries, he has put the team first.” Charlie Rubel ’27 added to this sentiment, stating, “Despite injuries, he has always been a great teammate and had a very positive outlook on the game.”
When Luke returned last season, he made an immediate impact on the team, pitching both out of relief spots and as a starter. One game that Luke is particularly proud of was his performance against Governors in the semi-finals, when he came in late and shut the door to help the team win 3-2 and advance to the championship game, where they fell to a talented Lawrence Academy team. As a team captain this year, Luke aims to avenge that loss by winning this year’s ISL championship, something that is very possible given that Belmont Hill arguably has the best pitching staff in the League, plus an array of talented bats. Luke observes that the culture has been great so far this season and that the team has already become a super close-knit group, which he credits to a strong collaborative nature and a productive preseason. Luke stressed that, while a league win is the goal, they still have a lot to do to get there.
In addition to discussing his goals for the coming season, Luke also reflected on the coaches and teammates who helped him get to where he is today. One person he thanked was Coach Cunningham ’12, who helped him become both a better player and a better person. When asked about Luke as a teammate and a player, Cunningham said, “Luke has dealt with incredible adversity, and his resilience separates him from the rest. As a leader, he has an infectious energy that his teammates are lucky to have.” Luke also mentioned his summer coaches at NEB and Coach Scott Patterson for their help in becoming a better baseball player and in the recruiting process. In addition to his coaches, Luke recalled how the older players on the team helped him when he joined Belmont Hill, teaching him how to do things the “right way”. As a captain this year, he hopes to do the same for the younger players by making sure they feel included and showing them how to do the little things right, like focusing on every rep in practice.
Entering his senior year, Luke is topping out at over 91 MPH on his fastball and was ranked 24th in the Perfect Games class of 2026 rankings for Massachusetts. In addition to his talent on the field, Luke is a true student-athlete, having been inducted into the Cum Laude Society this past fall. Next year, Luke will continue his baseball career at Harvard, where he hopes to find success and play as much as possible. The Panel wishes Luke the best of luck this season and in his future endeavors.