LHP Sam Finn (Plainfield North, 2026) has quickly turned himself into one of the top players in the entire state, entering this year as a true draft follow with one of the more electric arsenals in the midwest. Standing in at a strong-bodied 6-foot-3, 220-pounds, Finn has a power arm to match his physical frame - reaching into the low-90s with more velocity still likely on the way and wipeout off-speeds to pair. 

Finn opened some eyes this past summer at a couple of our marquee events, first being the Senior Future Games where he twirled two shutout innings with a loud arsenal, running the fastball up to 91 mph with a high-spinning curveball/slider mix that really kept hitters off-balance. He carried his dominance into our State Games in early August, once again showing premium arm-talent to pair with advanced spin metrics across the board, further stamping himself as a must-know name in the state - committing to Kentucky not long after.

We recently had the chance to talk to Finn about his recruitment process and some other fun topics, found below. 

Our Q&A 

Prep Baseball: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?

Sam: I've got two older siblings who went through the process with volleyball. I wasn't expecting too much, just knew that at times it can be stressful. I was looking for somewhere I knew I could develop as a player, potentially play as a freshman, and that has a great culture.

PB: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?

S: Not at all, all I wanted to do was play baseball.

PB: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Where did the school you committed to first see you play?

S: The recruiting process started to heat up around halfway through the summer of 2025. I had received a few texts when I was named to the Senior Future Games team, and Kentucky saw me at the Future Games.

PB: What do you like most about the program you chose, and what were the key factors in making your decision?

S: I loved the family aspect there, they truly emphasize the true importance of family. As a player, being more comfortable makes me play better. Also, listening to Coach Rozel and Coach Minge and how they run pitching, truly convinced myself that was home. Along with all this, being able to play the best of the best in the SEC is a dream come true.

PB: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?

S: Before I made my decision my top four were Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana state and UW-Milwaukee. 

PB: Who is the best player you have faced in your state? What about them makes for a tough opponent?

S: I would say Dom Bastista, he always comes up to the plate to fight. His bat to ball skills are truly impressive, making it hard to win at-bats.

PB: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college-caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?

S: I realized freshman year that I could truly go somewhere with baseball. I came out throwing 83 mph on the freshman team and had a 1.00 era. I knew from there that I was going to take it way more seriously.

PB: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?

S: Patience is key. As long as you continue to work hard and keep performing your best, you will get somewhere. It took me over a year and a half to get my first text from a college, but I knew my time would eventually come where things would take off.

PB: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?

S: My most memorable moment was last year in the playoffs for high school, coming from behind on Oswego and us walking it off. I came in down 8-3, and pitched 2.1 innings and completely halting their momentum they had.

PB: Preview your high school team's season for us. How do you feel your team will be?

S: Although we lost a lot of key bats, I think the production will be close to the same - our outfield will continue to produce like they always have. But the pitching staff might be gross, got two 90+ arms and many solid arms to back us up. We will for sure be looking to go further than we did last year.

PB: How did the Future Games and the Illinois State Games affect your recruitment process? Did you receive more attention following the events?

S: The Future Games completely changed my whole recruiting process. I had entered the event with one D2 offer, and a D1 interest. Leaving the event, I left with 10+ D1 offers. I will always be thankful for this event and what it has done to change my career.

PB: If you could steal any tool or quality from another player in the state, what would it be and who would it be from?

S: I would steal a quality fastball from Gavin Swartz. His fastball is very deceiving, along with the high speed it already has. The true ride and life on the ball plays very well with his off-speeds.

PB: Who is the next talented young player to keep an eye on out of your high school or travel program?

S: High school, Connor Eyedenberg. The kid is a true dog, his power connected to his talented defensive skills truly is amazing. He was my personal catcher last year and caught 75% of my games. Connor I would say is one of the best catchers in the state.

PB: Did Prep Baseball assist in your recruiting? Whether it be through a showcase, tournament coverage, tweets, etc? If yes, please explain. 

S: Yes, with the videos it just helped put my name out there. I also liked to repost the videos myself just trying to maximize my popularity.

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