Nicholas Edward Burdi (born January 19, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs. Burdi played college baseball for the Louisville Cardinals of the University of Louisville.

Nick Burdi
Burdi with the Pittsburgh Pirates
New York Yankees – No. 57
Pitcher
Born: (1993-01-19) January 19, 1993 (age 31)
Hinsdale, Illinois, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 11, 2018, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
(through March 31, 2024)
Win–loss record3–2
Earned run average8.64
Strikeouts29
Teams

Amateur career edit

Burdi attended Downers Grove South High School in Downers Grove, Illinois, where he played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher and for the football team as a quarterback. Before his junior year, Burdi quit the football team to focus on baseball. Burdi, as a child and teen also played for the Downers Grove Longshots.[1] He was able to throw his fastball as fast as 95 miles per hour (153 km/h) as a high school student.[2]

Burdi participated in the Area Code Games in the summer of 2010, attracting the attention of scouts, including Keith Law of ESPN.com. After his senior season, Burdi expected to be chosen between the third to fifth rounds of the 2011 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft.[2] However, he lasted in the draft until the 24th round, when he was selected by the Minnesota Twins, with the 748th overall pick.[3][4] He did not sign with the Twins and instead elected to attend college.[4][5]

Burdi enrolled at the University of Louisville, to play college baseball for the Louisville Cardinals baseball team. After the 2012 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[6] By his sophomore year, Burdi could reach 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) with his fastball.[5] Pitching as the Cardinals' closer, Burdi has an 0.78 earned run average (ERA) and 61 strikeouts in 34+23 innings pitched through his sophomore year.[7] After his sophomore year, he joined the United States national collegiate baseball team.[3] As a junior, Burdi had a 0.49 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 37 innings.[8]

Professional career edit

Minnesota Twins edit

Burdi was considered a top prospect in the 2014 MLB Draft.[7] The Minnesota Twins selected Burdi in the second round with the 46th overall selection of the draft.[9] He signed with the Twins on June 25, receiving a $1,218,800 signing bonus, and reported to the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Single–A Midwest League.[8] He posted a 4.15 ERA in 13 innings, and the Twins promoted him to the Fort Myers Miracle of the High–A Florida State League in August.[10] Burdi opened the 2015 season with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Double–A Southern League.[11] He struggled with a 5.93 ERA, and was demoted to Fort Myers in late June.[12][13] After spending six weeks with Fort Myers, the Twins promoted Burdi back to Chattanooga, where he finished the season with a 1.77 ERA in 20+13 innings. The Twins assigned him to the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League after the regular season.[14]

Burdi pitched only three innings in 2016 due to a bone bruise in his right elbow.[15] Burdi began the 2017 season with Chattanooga. He required Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in May 2017.[16]

Pittsburgh Pirates edit

On December 14, 2017, the Philadelphia Phillies selected Burdi in the Rule 5 draft, and traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for $500,000 of international signing bonus money.[17] Burdi was activated from the injured list to make his return from surgery on September 1, 2018. On September 11, he made his MLB debut, tossing 0+13 of an inning against the St. Louis Cardinals.[18] He would only make two appearances in his rookie campaign, surrendering 3 runs (4 earned) on 3 hits and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in 1+13 innings of work.[19]

Burdi made the Pirates' Opening Day roster in 2019. In 11 appearances, he posted a 9.35 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 8+23 innings pitched.[20] On June 25, 2019, Burdi underwent thoracic outlet surgery to relieve symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome, ruling him out for the rest of the season.[21]

After the delay of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Burdi made only three appearances before he was placed on the injured list with a right elbow injury.[22] In August 2020, Burdi received a platelet-rich plasma injection to avoid surgery.[23] However, on October, Burdi underwent his second career Tommy John surgery, and was ruled out for the 2021 season. On November 1, 2020, Burdi was designated for assignment by the Pirates.[24] On November 9, he elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment.[25]

San Diego Padres edit

On December 22, 2020, Burdi signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.[26] He did not play in a game in 2021 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. He was assigned to the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas to begin the 2022 season, but was released on April 21, 2022, without making an appearance for the organization.[27] He re-signed a minor league deal on May 4, 2022.

Chicago Cubs edit

On December 7, 2022, the Chicago Cubs selected Burdi from the Padres in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.[28] Burdi returned from surgery in 2023, making 11 appearances for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs and posting a 3.38 ERA with 19 strikeouts and five saves in 10+23 innings pitched.[29]

On May 15, 2023, Burdi's contract was selected to the active roster.[29] He made three appearances for Chicago before he was placed on the injured list on May 24 after undergoing an emergency appendectomy.[30] On June 13, Burdi was transferred to the 60–day injured list.[31] Following the season on November 2, he was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Iowa.[32] Burdi elected free agency on November 6.[33]

New York Yankees edit

On December 21, 2023, Burdi signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.[34] On March 25, 2024, the Yankees announced that Burdi had earned one of the team's final Opening Day bullpen roles alongside Clayton Beeter.[35]

Personal life edit

Burdi's older brother, Drew, was an All-State quarterback who played football for Downers Grove South and Western Michigan.[4] His younger brother, Zack, is also a professional baseball pitcher.[36]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Demling, Jody (February 4, 2014). "Louisville Fireballer Burdi Made Right Turn To Mound". Baseball America. Retrieved February 4, 2014. (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b "Burdi excited for MLB draft | Suburban Life Media". Mysuburbanlife.com. June 1, 2011. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Downers Grove's Nick Burdi playing with the best for USA Baseball | Suburban Life Media". Mysuburbanlife.com. July 16, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Sandrolini, Mike (June 13, 2011). "Minnesota Twins Draft Downers South Grad Nick Burdi – Sports". Darien, IL Patch. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Taylor, Kent (March 7, 2013). "Cards closer Nick Burdi hits 100 on radar gun – wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather & Sports". Wave3.com. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  6. ^ "Nick Burdi - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Lemire, Joe (June 10, 2013). "Early look at top five prospects for next year's MLB draft". SI.com. Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Twins sign second-round pick Burdi". Minnesota.twins.mlb.com. March 27, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  9. ^ "U of L's Nick Burdi drafted by Minnesota Twins". Courier-journal.com. June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  10. ^ "» Twinsights: Phil Hughes beating the best, Nick Burdi promoted". Blogs.twincities.com. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  11. ^ Paschall, David (April 7, 2015). "Half of Twins' top 10 prospects opening with Chattanooga Lookouts". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  12. ^ "Twinsights: Nick Burdi demoted, Zack Jones lands on DL at Double-A". TwinCities.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  13. ^ "Twinsights: Mike Radcliff breaks down the problem with Nick Burdi". TwinCities.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  14. ^ "» Twinsights: Pitching coaches help Nick Burdi get back on the fast track". TwinCities.com. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  15. ^ "Twins' Nick Burdi To Undergo Tommy John Surgery". MLB Trade Rumors. May 26, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  16. ^ "Lookouts Star Reliever, Nick Burdi, To Undergo Tommy John Surgery". Chattanoogan.com. May 27, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  17. ^ Zolecki, Todd. "Phils deal Rule 5 Draft pick Burdi for int'l money". MLB.com.
  18. ^ "Nick Burdi rehabbed for 2 1/2 years. This week he made his MLB debut". post-gazette.com. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  19. ^ "Is Nick Burdi the Pittsburgh Pirates Closer of the Future?". rumbunter.com. April 10, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  20. ^ "Best Comeback of 2023 Belongs to Cubs Pitcher Nick Burdi". sportsmockery.com. May 15, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  21. ^ "Burdi out for '19 after thoracic outlet surgery". MLB.com. June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  22. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates News: Nick Burdi Placed on 45-Day Injured List". rumbunter.com. August 5, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  23. ^ "Pirates' Nick Burdi: DFA'd after Tommy John surgery". cbssports.com. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  24. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates DFA Nick Burdi after righty had Tommy John surgery". espn.com. November 2, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  25. ^ "Burdi elects free agency over assignment". dkpittsburghsports.com. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  26. ^ "Padres Sign Nick Burdi, Nick Ramirez to Minor League Deals". December 22, 2020.
  27. ^ "Nick Burdi Stats, Fantasy & News".
  28. ^ "2022 Rule 5 Draft results: Pick by pick". MLB.com.
  29. ^ a b "Cubs' Nick Burdi: Contract selected". cbssports.com. May 15, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  30. ^ "Cubs' Nick Burdi: Placed on injured list". cbssports.com. May 24, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  31. ^ "Cubs' Nick Burdi: Moved to 60-day IL". cbssports.com. May 24, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  32. ^ "Cubs' Nick Burdi: Outrighted to Iowa". cbssports.com. November 2, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  33. ^ "2023 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. November 8, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  34. ^ "Yankees' Nick Burdi: Inks NRI deal with NYY". cbssports.com. December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  35. ^ "Nick Burdi, Clayton Beeter earn Yankees' final bullpen spots — for now". nypost.com. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  36. ^ "Zack the latest 100 mph-throwing Burdi". The Courier-Journal. May 27, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2016.

External links edit