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Illinois baseball freshman ace receives distinguished USA honor

Illinois baseball's top arm has been a godsend for the program, and now he will compete to be a part of the most honored team in college baseball.
ByKellen Sherman|
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A baseball bat wrapped with American flag tape during Detroit Tigers spring training at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.
A baseball bat wrapped with American flag tape during Detroit Tigers spring training at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Illinois baseball program landed an absolute gem to lead their pitching staff in freshman left-hander Aidan Flinn.

Flinn, a product of Mokena, Illinois, has certainly come into his own in his first season with the program. In 14 appearances for the Illini, the Marist High School graduate has recorded a 2.67 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 54.0 innings of work.

The freshman phenom has been sensational since first donning the Orange and Blue, giving up two or fewer runs in four of his last five outings. Flinn has been fantastic for the Illini, and now he is being recognized for his accomplishments with an invite to the 2026 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team training camp.

If Flinn can make the team, he will become the eighth player in Illinois history to make the USA Collegiate National Team, joining the likes of Cole Kirshseiper in 2021 and Kevin O'Connor in 1989.

The news of Flinn's invite comes just one week after the lefty was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. He was stellar in his home outing against Northwestern, allowing zero runs on one hit through five innings of work.

Aidan Flinn continues to show that he is the arm to lead the Illinois baseball team into the future

Prior to committing to Illinois, Flinn was the No. 11-ranked left-handed pitcher in Illinois in the class of 2025. He wasn't the highest-ranked arm in the country out of the gate, but his large frame and strong arm made him a promising prospect to go after.

Flinn brought a lot of great qualities and an extremely high ceiling to college that can be summed up in this scouting report by the Prep Baseball Report.

"He [Flinn] is every bit of 6-foot-6, 200-pounts, with room to still grow into the frame. He is a loose and athletic mover down the mound, working in-sync with his long levers. His fastball plays with late, hard life through the zone at 88-90 mph, seemingly getting quality extension on a pitch."

Flinn has used his mechanics to his advantage all season long, and now he will have a chance to show his talents on one of the largest stages in college baseball, competing for his home country. This is a monumental feather in the cap for the young man, and it will only continue to propel him forward in a positive way.

Congrats to you, Aidan Flinn! Go out there and be great!

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