He would have liked for his first pitch at U.S. Cellular Field to have been a 99-mph fastball down the middle. Instead, White Sox supplemental first-rounder Zack Burdi lobbed in a 45-mph ceremonial first pitch on Monday night.
Burdi made his first trip to 35th and Shields since the White Sox selected him with the 26th overall pick in the June draft. But he did so in street clothes instead of a jersey. While Burdi wouldn’t have complained had the White Sox promoted him again, he said he’s very pleased with how he performed in his first professional season.
“It wasn't that I didn't think that I couldn't compete or something, but I maxed out my expectations to the fullest,” Burdi said. “What I did this summer was special and I think building off that for next year is what my goal is now. I'm just happy with how it ended up.”
Burdi pitched at four levels after the White Sox drafted him out of Louisville with their second pick in the draft. He improved with each promotion, striking out 22 in 16 innings at Triple-A Charlotte and posting a 2.25 ERA. The right-hander, whose fastball can reach triple digits, said he learned a lot early on this summer and applied it along the way.
“In high-A, that was my pro appearance, I threw a slider that I've been throwing all year and no one swung at it,” Burdi said. “It was a big like, 'Oh, no.' And then I had to go back to my fastball and they were hitting them and I was like, 'Oh no.' And then the next thing you know I had like three runs or something, and I was like, 'OK. Well the stuff I was using a couple weeks ago isn't going to work here.' So that was a big one, having to work and sharpen up my break, sharpen up my velocity and sharpen up my angle. It was eye opening. The hitters are a lot better.”
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Burdi’s stuff also qualifies as eye-opening and its why he was considered to be the most major league-ready pitcher at the time of the draft. The belief was that the White Sox would have promoted Burdi to the majors if they were in a pennant chase and in need of pitching. But with the team well out of the picture, the need wasn’t there. Given he threw 68 innings between Louisville and the minors, the White Sox sent Burdi home for the offseason when Charlotte’s season ended.
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But the temporary disappointment won’t prevent Burdi from viewing his first season in a positive light.
“Of course I want to be here and I want to be with the guys and I want to keep playing baseball,” Burdi said. “I didn’t want my season to end. But like I was saying, I’m happy with how the summer went. I’m happy with my first half year of pro ball. Getting to meet the guys and pick the brain of the older dudes.”