Nick Burdi #51

Full name is Nicholas Edward Burdi…pitched three seasons for the University of Louisville from 2012-14 and went 7-6 with 34 saves, a 1.80 ERA (95.0IP, 19ER) and 141K in 74 career games (three starts)… holds Louisville single-season (18 in 2014) and career records (34) for saves…was named a Golden Spikes Award finalist in 2014 after posting 18 saves, a 0.49 ERA (37.0IP, 2ER) and 65K in 32 games as a junior…was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the 31st overall prospect and the 36th overall by Baseball America entering the 2014 draft…is a 2011 graduate of Downers Grove (Ill.) South H.S., where he was a three-year letter winner in baseball…was originally selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 24th round of the First-Year Player Draft but did not sign…his younger brother, Zack, has pitched in the Majors for the Chicago White Sox (2020-21), Baltimore Orioles (2021) and Tampa Bay Ray (2023).

2023

Made three relief appearances with the Chicago Cubs, posting a 9.00 ERA (3.0IP, 3H, 3ER, 3BB, 4K)…marked his first Major League action since 2020 with the Pittsburgh Pirates…attended Spring Training as a non-roster invitee…spent the majority of the season with Triple-A Iowa, posting a 3.20 ERA (19.2IP, 16H, 7ER, 14BB, 33K, 1HR)…started the season with Iowa before having his contract selected by the Cubs on 5/15…was placed on the 15-day injured list on 5/24 (retroactive to 5/21) with appendicitis and transferred to the 60-day injured list on 6/13…made two rehab starts with the ACL Cubs (1.1IP, 4H, 2ER, 1BB, 2K, 1HR, 1WP)…concluded the season with Iowa.

2022

Nick missed the 2022 season due to a right elbow sprain ... was on Triple-A El Paso's I.L. from April 5-19 when he was released from the roster ... re-signed to a Minor League deal and was back on the I.L. from April 29-Nov. 8.

2021

Missed the entire campaign after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in October 2020.

2020

Made PIT's Opening Day roster for the second straight season, going 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA (1 ER, 2.1 IP) in 3 appearances...Made season debut in the club's 3rd game on July 26 at STL and struck out the side in order in the 9th inning...Picked up his first Major League save on July 28 vs. MIL...Suffered the loss on August 3 at MIN - his final outing of the season...Was placed on the 45-day injured list on Aug. 5 with a right elbow injury.

2019

Was the lone rookie pitcher on Pittsburgh's Opening Day roster...Made season debut on 3/28 at Cincinnati and struck out all three of the batters he faced...Suffered first big league loss on 4/3 vs. St. Louis...Struck out all three Chicago batters he faced at Wrigley Field on 4/8...Won his first Major League game on 4/12 at Washington...Made six straight scoreless appearances from 4/6-17 (6.0ip)...Picked up his second win on 4/17 at Detroit...Left the game on 4/22 vs. Arizona with right bicep/elbow pain and was placed on the 10-day injured list on 4/23...Was transferred to the 60-day I.L. on 5/11...Underwent surgery on 6/25 by Dr. Robert Thompson (Washington University vascular surgeon) aimed to relieve symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome...Had additional surgery on 9/11 in Dallas by Dr. Keith Meister to address intermittent lateral forearm symptoms; the procedure performed by Dr. Meister released fascial tissue around the lateral forearm region.

2018

Ranked as Pittsburgh's No. 25 prospect by Baseball America prior to the season...Spent most of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery (performed on 5/3/17)...Was placed on the 60-day disabled list on 2/20...Made his organizational debut with High-A Bradenton on 7/16 vs. Jupiter; had three strikeouts in 1.0ip...Had rehab transferred to Double-A Altoona on 7/23 and made three appearances with the Curve...Was transferred to Triple-A Indianapolis on 8/14...Suffered losses on 8/15 at Scranton/ WB and 8/22 vs. Columbus...Was returned from his rehab assignment and reinstated from D.L. on 9/1...Spent final month of the season with the Pirates...Made Major League debut on 9/11 at St. Louis and allowed four runs (three earned) in 0.1ip...Also pitched a scoreless inning on 9/23 vs. Milwaukee.

2017

Was ranked by MiLB as Minnesota's No. 16 prospect prior to the season...Began season with Chattanooga (Twins' AA) and made six straight scoreless appearances (7.1ip) thru 4/26...Surrendered his only run via a solo homer on 4/28 at Jacksonville...Tallied saves on 5/16 and 5/21...Did not allow a run in his last seven outings between 5/5-21 (8.2ip)...Made his final appearance on 5/21; suffered a tear of his ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery on 5/31 (surgery performed by Dr. Keith Meister)...Was selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft on 12/14; was then acquired by the Pirates in exchange for international slot money.

2016

Was ranked by Baseball America as the 10th-best prospect in the Minnesota system prior to the season... Attended spring training with the Twins; was reassigned to minor league camp on 3/17 and began season with Chattanooga...Appeared in just three games with the Lookouts due to two stints on the disabled list between 4/7-22 and 5/5 thru the end of the season...Suffered a bone bruise on his right humerus and did not pitch after 4/28.

2015

Was ranked by Baseball America as Minnesota's seventh-best prospect entering the season...Began campaign with Chattanooga before being transferred to Single-A Ft. Myers on 6/30...Did not allow a run in 11 of his 13 appearances for the Miracle were scoreless while striking out 29 batters and walking three in 20.0ip...Returned to the Double-A level on 8/13...Combined to record 83 strikeouts in 43 games (63.2ip) between both levels... Held right-handed hitters to a .179 average (25-for-140), while left-handed batters hit .293 (27-for-92)...Made eight appearances with Scottsdale during the Arizona Fall League (8.0ip/2h/0r/1bb/11so).

2014

Split his first professional season in the Twins organization between Single-A affiliates Cedar Rapids and Ft. Myers...Allowed six runs in his first six appearances with Cedar Rapids before making seven straight scoreless outings (8.0ip)...Was promoted to Ft. Myers on 8/12...Combined to strike out 38 batters in 20.1 innings of work with the two clubs...Was listed as having the best fastball in the Midwest League, in addition to having the best fastball and best slider in the Twins system according to Baseball America.