July 14, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Red Sox select Leighton Finley with sixth-round pick
Finley is another big-bodied pitcher from the SEC as he is listed at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. His fastball typically sits 91-94 mph but has hit 98. He also has a low-80s slider that is his main secondary pitch, and he will also flash a changeup and curveball. As a freshman Finley worked out of the bullpen for the Bulldogs, pitching to a 6.26 ERA while striking out 31 in 27 1/3 innings. That summer, he pitched for Yarmouth-Dennis of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was an All-Star on the Cape, as he did not allow an earned run over 17 1/3 frames while striking out 20.
He moved into the rotation for his sophomore year, making 16 starts on a team that advanced to the Super Regionals. He went 6-1 and struck out a batter per inning with an ERA of 4.14. He was clutch for Georgia in the postseason, earning a save in the Regional final over Georgia Tech, and he earned a win in the Super Regional over North Carolina State. He did not have the same success as a junior, posting a 3-2 record while his ERA rose to 4.85. While his ERA did not improve, all other metrics did, as he lowered his WHIP while improving his strikeout rate. A three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Finley has a workhorse frame and a short-arm delivery that offers some deception. His brother Jackson was an eighth-round pick by the Athletics in 2023. He will see some familiar faces when his professional career starts, as he is the fifth SEC pitcher that Boston has drafted over its first seven picks this year.
The slot value for this selection is $364,800.
Photo Credit: Leighton Finley by georgiadogs.com