The Pink Sox have reached settlement with reliever Nick Burdi on a minor league contract, reviews Chris Henrique of Past the Monster. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo writes that the right-hander will go to minor league camp, as he didn’t obtain a non-roster invite to MLB Spring Coaching.
Burdi, 32, is a former Twins’ second-round draftee and well-regarded bullpen prospect. His profession has been beset by myriad accidents. He underwent Tommy John surgical procedure early in his time within the Minnesota farm system. He landed with the Pirates as a Rule 5 choose, the place he battled thoracic outlet syndrome. Burdi’s arm continued to hassle him the next 12 months, and he underwent one other Tommy John process after the 2020 marketing campaign.
The Louisville product didn’t return to the mound till 2023. Burdi landed with the Cubs within the Triple-A part of the Rule 5 draft. Chicago referred to as him up for 3 appearances, however he shortly went again to the injured record because of a bout of appendicitis. He didn’t return to the majors and the Cubs lower him unfastened on the finish of the season.
Burdi inked a minor league take care of the Yankees final winter. He broke camp however went on the injured record inside a number of weeks due to a proper hip downside. Renewed hip ache despatched him again to the IL between Might and August. New York outrighted him one month later, sending him again to minor league free company on the finish of the season.
Regardless of the most recent injury-plagued season, Burdi established a profession excessive with 12 MLB appearances for the Yankees. He fired 9 2/3 frames of two-run ball. Burdi fanned 12 with 9 walks. It was an identical story in Triple-A, the place he turned in a 2.65 earned run common by way of 17 innings. He struck out a 3rd of opponents in opposition to an enormous 15.3% stroll fee.
The uncooked stuff stays intriguing. Burdi averaged 97.5 MPH on his fastball whereas sitting within the higher 80s along with his slider. He doesn’t constantly harness that high-octane arsenal, however that might be tied to the stop-and-start nature of so lots of his seasons. There’s no actual draw back for the Pink Sox in bringing him to camp and sending him to Triple-A Worcester to open the 12 months.
