After Run To College World Series With TCU, Finnegan Ready To Begin Pro Career In Wilmington

Wilmington, DE - Just a few weeks ago, Brandon Finnegan was suiting up for TCU in the College World Series. It's not often a player has the opportunity to jump straight from college to the Advanced-A level, but that's exactly what Finnegan is getting the chance to do. The Kansas City Royals selected him with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2014 Draft and have assigned him to begin his pro career with the Wilmington Blue Rocks.

Finnegan skipped over short-season ball and comes to the Blue Crew fresh from playing a big role in TCU's second-ever College World Series appearance.

"Being a part of that team was pretty special," Finnegan said. "It was a lot of fun in Omaha; I wish we would have won. We definitely had the talent but just going there was special."

The left-handed hurler said the team's chemistry both on and off the diamond was the best part of its run to Omaha.

"We went on two nine [or] 10 game heaters that we were just unstoppable," Finnegan said. Our pitching staff was the best in the country and being a part of that was probably what was the [best part]. Our chemistry on the team just got closer and closer every day."

It was that bond with his teammates that also made his draft day so special. Finnegan, who is from Fort Worth, Texas, said the entire team came over to his parents' house for the draft to celebrate.

"We had the entire team over and a bunch of family friends over. There was like 100 people there…[The team] had to leave for an appearance and then they came back right after I was called. Everybody was there."

Despite starting at a very high level in his first professional stop, Finnegan believes he is well-prepared for what lies ahead. Last summer, he pitched for the United States Collegiate National Team, which played games overseas in Japan, as well as a series against Cuba in the United States.

"We were traveling every single day with Team USA," Finnegan said. "Team USA may have been worse than [pro ball] with travel. We traveled to Japan. We stayed there for about a week and a half and traveled every day. We came back here to the U.S. and played Cuba, traveling every day. I guess that's why it's easier for me to adjust to this, because I've already done it. It was awesome and that kind of got me ready for pro ball, for sure."

Finnegan believes his time with the Collegiate National Team also helped him on the mound. His velocity ticked higher and his slider took another step forward in its development.

"Against Cuba, I was 95-98 [miles-per-hour] the entire game," he said. "And that's when I just found my slider. Then I got to TCU and realized I didn't need 95-to-98 every single pitch so I toned it down to 92-to-96, and if I need 98 I'll go back and get it."

His advanced approach to pitching has some people talking about the possibility of a quick ascent to the Big Leagues.

"It's just talk [though]," Finnegan said. I have to do something for that to actually happen. I have to show out and do my job. If I do that then we'll see what happens. If not, it wasn't meant to [happen that fast]."

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