Getting to know first-rounder Zack Burdi
For the first time in a month, new Dash reliever and White Sox 2016 first-round selection Zack Burdi feels settled. Over the last 30 days, the right-hander was drafted by Chicago with the 26th overall pick, pitched in the NCAA Super Regional with the Louisville Cardinals and began his professional career.
After one outing with the AZL White Sox, though, Burdi has found a temporary home with Winston-Salem.
The 21-year-old flamethrower, who can hit upwards of 100 miles per hour with his fastball, made his debut with the Dash on Friday against Wilmington. Burdi was tagged for three hits and one earned run in an inning of work against the Blue Rocks, but he bounced back in his next outing with a scoreless frame on the road against Potomac on Monday.
First-round selection Zack Burdi has made two outings for the Dash since joining the team on June 24 (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
“It’s been a good ride through Louisville, through the Draft and now here,” Burdi said. “It’s just exciting to get on the mound and to have a clean inning and kind of feel more at ease because that first outing here in Winston — it was exciting — there were a lot of nerves.”
The youngest of three boys to Deborah and Robert Burdi, Zack’s rise in the sports world seemed predestined. After all, both his older siblings were star athletes.
His brother Nick, who was also a closer for Louisville from 2013–14, was drafted 46th overall by the Minnesota Twins in 2014, and his oldest brother Drew played quarterback for Western Michigan.
While he was years behind his brothers in age and sometimes finished last during in-house competitions, the sibling rivalry helped fuel the competitor Burdi has become.
“We obviously love each other and support each other very much,” Zack said. “But when it comes to competition, whether it’s school, sports, video games, you don’t want to be third, you don’t want to be second.”
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After starring for Downers Grove South High School in Illinois, Burdi followed in Nick’s footsteps when he joined Louisville prior to the 2014 campaign. Like most freshman, though, the right-hander was seldom used. He pitched in just 10 games as a spot reliever and posted a 4.35 ERA. He also yielded seven walks in a total of 10.1 innings.
That summer, Burdi made some drastic, yet necessary changes to his motion that have now become his trademark. While pitching for the Chatham Anglers in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, Burdi started utilizing a closed set that has his front foot pointed towards the shortstop. When he returned to college, his coaches did not know what to make of his new delivery.
“They were a little surprised about it,” said the former Angler. “I got to explain to them that I’m doing it to keep up at my checkpoints, keep my front shoulder closed, keep my glove on my chest.”
While certainly unorthodox, the mechanical adjustments immediately paid dividends. The righty rose to national prominence with an electric sophomore campaign in 2015. In his first year as the Cardinals’ closer, Burdi went 6–1 with nine saves and a 0.92 ERA to earn All-America and All-ACC honors.
The talented reliever followed his 2015 season with an impressive junior campaign. Burdi converted 11 saves, posted a 3.30 ERA and struck out 47 batters in just 30 frames. Overall in his collegiate career, Burdi went 8–4 with a 2.45 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 69.2 innings.
Burdi put himself on the map with a dominant sophomore campaign with Louisville in 2015 (photo via Louisville Athletics).
While he still has work to do on his slider and change-up, his upside is apparent. Some people (like Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell) predict he will rise quickly through the White Sox ranks, similar to recent first-round selections Carson Fulmer and Carlos Rodon.
For the time being, the 21-year-old is enjoying the serenity of his place on Winston-Salem’s roster.
“There is a great group of guys here. You got Hunter Jones, Connor Walsh, [Jacob] Morris, all those dudes. A lot of personality on the team and a lot of people to keep the guys going and keep guys amused. I’m really lucky to be here.”
-Joe
