Pair of Notre Dame Fighting Irish stars get crack at MLB dreams

With the MLB Draft come and gone, it turns out that two Notre Dame Fighting Irish stars are going to get the chance to try their hand in the Big Leagues. While neither baseball star was taken all that early in the draft, both were taken early enough that they will almost certainly get a very good opportunity to move their way through the minor leagues.

Infielder Jack Penny was the first Notre Dame baseball star to be selected. He was taken in the 5th round of the MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers.  This past season, Penny posted a .269/.406/.492 slash line while hitting nine homeruns and stealing 6 bases. He predominantly played shortstop for the Irish in 2024.

Starting pitcher Jack Findlay was taken in the 8th round of the draft by the St. Louis Cardinals and it’s a safe bet the Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball star would have gone much sooner, if he’d been able to pitch at all in 2024.

Pair of Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball stars pursuing MLB dreams

Tommy John surgery wiped out this past season, but in a year and a half with Notre Dame before the injury, he posted a 10-4 record with a 2.90 earned run average. The good news is that he should be able to give the majors a go next season.

It’s possible he could even pitch later this year, should he and the Cardinals organization want to push it.

“It’s still a risk obviously,” Viva El Birdos wrote after the draft. “But kind of less so because I assume the Cardinals have more information about his recovery at this point to make an informed decision.”

“Findlay has a low 90s fastball (just assume everyone has this) with a slider and a big breaking curve, according to Brian Walton over at Cardinal Nation.”

What makes Penney a good fit for what the Tigers want to do on the field is his intelligent approach at the plate,” wrote Bless You Boys. “He had a reputation as a calming presence in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish dugout, and he carries that demeanor with him to the plate.”