The Chicago White Sox have selected right-handed pitcher Zack Burdi of the University of Louisville with the 26th pick overall of tonight's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Burdi, a 21-year-old junior, is 1-2 with a 2.20 ERA (7 ER/28.2 IP), 46 strikeouts and 11 saves over 26 appearances as the Cardinals closer this season. He has helped lead Louisville, which finished atop the ACC, to a 50-12 overall record and a 22-8 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Burdi and No. 2 Louisville face UC Santa Barbara on Saturday in Game One of the 2016 NCAA Super Regional.
"We are thrilled to add Zack Burdi to our organization," said Nick Hostetler, White Sox director of scouting. "He possesses dynamic stuff with a fastball that has reached 102, a plus slider and a devastating changeup. We've known him for a long time, we've scouted him since high school, and we love his tremendous leadership and work ethic."
Burdi, 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, went 8-3 with a 1.98 ERA (15 ER/68.1 IP), 82 strikeouts and 20 saves in 59 career appearances for Louisville. He limited opponents to a .167 average with 22 walks.
Burdi was a member of USA Baseball's 2015 Collegiate National Team, recording a 3.72 ERA (4 ER/9.2 IP) with six strikeouts over six appearances. As a member of the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod League in 2015, he went 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 21 strikeouts over five relief appearances.
A native of Downers Grove, Ill., Burdi was named a Third Team Louisville Slugger All-America in 2015 and received All-ACC First Team honors. His brother, Nick, was a second-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Louisville.
Burdi was recommended by White Sox scout Phil Gulley.
The White Sox selected catcher Zack Collins from the University of Miami (Fla.) with the 10th overall pick earlier tonight.