Finnegan looks to recapture magic, return to Majors

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Brandon Finnegan?’s first foray into the American League Central is one he’ll never forget.

The left-handed hurler was selected 17th overall by the Royals in the 2014 Draft before going on to pitch in the College World Series for Texas Christian University. Before that baseball season was over -- and after stops at Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Class A Advanced Wilmington -- Finnegan was pitching for the Royals in a seven-game World Series loss to the Giants.

Now, as a non-roster invite who will be moving over to White Sox big league camp at Camelback Ranch, the 28-year-old hopes to recreate some postseason magic in Chicago.

“It was something I will never forget. It was a blast,” said Finnegan of his 2014 experience with the Royals. “Now, whatever they want, I’m going to do. I want to help the organization in the best way I possibly can. The key is to get back to the bigs.”

Work already has begun for Finnegan, who has been in Arizona since Feb. 20 for the White Sox Minor League minicamp. He also received assists from Chicago pitching coach Ethan Katz and Triple-A pitching coach Matt Zaleski to fix a delivery flaw, which has paid early dividends based on how Finnegan feels.

According to Finnegan, Katz saw him on video and offered up the help before the left-hander joined the White Sox via a Minor League deal.

“He said, ‘If you start working on this, it could help you a lot.’ We hit the ground running as soon as I got here,” Finnegan said. “I’m really starting to get it down. We’ll see where it goes.

“I love pitching coaches who are there to help you out, and then want to see you succeed. It’s hard to find guys like that. You see it all over the place in Minor Leagues. So [I’m] ready hopefully to get back and hopefully help this team win a World Series.”

Video showed Finnegan had the tendency for his back knee to drift toward first base instead of home plate. Katz used drills with the core velocity belt to help Finnegan’s lower half move more efficiently, per Zaleski, who likes what he has seen from Finnegan.

“Really good slider, really good curveball, throws in the zone,” Zaleski said. “His fastball, he has two different unique fastballs and it’s nice to see.

“You see where the game is going. A lot of hitters are starting to be able to get to the high carry four-seam. He has another weapon to combat those type of hitters.”

The White Sox have a solid bullpen core but certainly have spots to be filled in relief. With baseball back and pitchers having a little less time to build up, Finnegan also fits in as a swingman who could work long relief or even make spot starts.

As Finnegan stated, he’s ready for anything if it means getting back to the Majors. His last big league appearance came with the Reds in 2018, when he finished with a 7.40 ERA over just five starts in the worst season of his five years in the Majors. But he also learned a little bit about approach during those struggles.

“When I got sent down in 2018, I was really upset and I let it affect my play,” Finnegan said. “So, I got to the point where I said screw it and went back to trying to have fun playing baseball and enjoy being around the guys trying to get to the same place I am.

“Once I did that, I felt like I was playing to the best of my ability. I was doing it well. That was the main thing. Forgetting the business part and just trying to realize that I’m getting paid to play a game that I love.”

Finnegan hopes to create more memories akin to that special time in 2014.

“Just so many good guys, so many veterans that taught me the ropes, and not really have to keep me in line, but taught me what I was supposed to do and what I was supposed to not do when I was a rookie,” Finnegan said. “It was so fun. It was a bunch of kids playing baseball.

“Of course, all of those guys went on to have great careers. But [I] love those guys. They taught me how to be a professional baseball player.”