Aaron Sams
Aaron Sams graduated from Bedford High School in 1994, where he played both football and baseball. He was most recognized for his achievements in baseball, earning a four-year varsity letter under head coach Gary Waugerman.
Aaron was named a Bedford County All-Star in his sophomore, junior, and senior years. One of his notable highlights came during his senior year, when he went 4-4 with three home runs and a double in a game and also pitched the win. For this, he was named the Hometown Hero and received a plaque. During his senior season, the Bedford Bisons won the District 5 title.
After high school, Aaron accepted a baseball scholarship to James Madison University, where fellow Bedford County Hall of Famer Corey Reffner also attended. Due to elbow tendonitis, Aaron medically redshirted his freshman year but became a three-year letterman afterward.
In 1998, Aaron led the JMU Dukes in wins (10), complete games (7), and strikeouts (97). He ranks tied for fifth in all-time wins, fourth in complete games, and 10th in strikeouts at James Madison. He received All-Conference (CAA) honors and was a Virginia All-State selection that year.
The Chicago Cubs drafted him in the fifth round of the June 1998 Major League Baseball draft. He played his first professional season in Williamsport, PA, for the Williamsport Cubs, starting 14 games with a 3.43 ERA and leading the New York/Penn League in complete games.
Aaron played four more seasons in the Cubs, Red Sox, and Brewers organizations. During the 2000 offseason, he returned to Harrisonburg and earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from JMU.
After ending his professional career, he coached pitching lessons for local youth in Central PA.
In 2005, Aaron moved with his wife Janelle to Tulsa, OK, where he lives today. He was a pitching coach at a private high school in Tulsa in 2015 and now coaches a competitive travel team based there. Aaron and Janelle have two sons, AJ (16) and Jack (14).
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