Former Bay Port standout pitcher Ethan Plog made a significant recruiting visit to LSU last weekend. Riding in a golf cart with assistant coach Josh Jordan, they unexpectedly passed by former Tigers star and Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes. Skenes called out to Johnson, who stopped the cart to meet him. This chance encounter gave Plog the opportunity to shake hands with one of the best young pitchers in baseball.

Words of Wisdom from Paul Skenes

When asked for words of wisdom, Skenes simply told Plog to "Commit right now." And Plog did just that. He gathered with LSU coaches, including head coach Jay Johnson, in a hotel conference room after the football team's win over Vanderbilt and informed them of his commitment.

Joining an Elite Program

Plog will now join one of the elite programs in the country. LSU won the national championship in 2023 with the help of Skenes, outfielder Dylan Crews, and 11 others who were drafted by MLB teams. Plog said he initially had doubts but realized his love for the school was genuine. "There was a point where I was like, I just want to see if this is a honeymoon phase. I'm loving it as I'm here, I wonder what it's going to be like when I'm gone. I was going to wait to see how I felt, but at that point I was like, 'I don't think this is going to change.' It was so good. It feels surreal. I've always dreamed of playing college baseball and I would dream of playing SEC baseball. Then dreamt of playing LSU baseball. They all just went together. It was awesome. It doesn't feel real."

Breakout Junior Season at Bay Port

In 2023, Plog had a breakout junior season at Bay Port. He was named the Fox River Classic Conference player of the year after going 7-0 in nine starts and allowing just three earned runs in 50⅓ innings while striking out 84 batters. It was a remarkable achievement after he closed out an upset win over No. 1 seed Sun Prairie in a WIAA Division 1 state quarterfinal and earned a save in a semifinal the previous year.

College and MLB Interest

Plog had a couple of offers while at Bay Port, including one from NCAA Division I Bradley. But he eventually chose Iowa Western, an NJCAA DI school in Council Bluffs. He had a strong senior season at Bay Port and started receiving more attention from schools once he arrived at Iowa Western. His fastball speed increased to 96 mph this summer, and his first college outing was at 94 or 95 mph. There was a chance he might not have played for Iowa Western or LSU. Big league teams took notice of his mid-90s pitching with room for growth. He had a scout from the Seattle Mariners at his home one month before the draft, and the Milwaukee Brewers also showed interest. Plog began the process of hiring an agent to negotiate with teams before college. His agent made progress with the Mariners and Brewers during the draft, but it didn't result in a signing.

Girlfriend's Support

Plog's girlfriend, Sam Mach, has been his biggest supporter throughout the process. She helped him stay stable and focused on both the mental and physical aspects of the game. During his trip to LSU, his girlfriend and parents were with him. They even got to meet LSU gymnast and influencer Olivia Dunne, who is dating Skenes. Plog focused on talking to Skenes and soaking up his words. "He is like the most down-to-earth guy. We talked like we knew each other. It was insane. I was interested in what Paul Skenes had to say about baseball. Since he was a baseball player at LSU, I wanted to hear as much information as I could."