The White Sox introduced Tuesday that they’ve chosen the contract of righty Sean Burke from Triple-A Charlotte. Fellow right-hander Nick Nastrini was optioned to Charlotte in a corresponding transfer. The Sox already had a number of vacancies on the 40-man roster to accommodate Burke’s promotion.
Burke, 24, was Chicago’s third-round choose again in 2021 and has spent the season within the Charlotte rotation, making 16 begins and pitching to a 4.62 ERA with a weighty 31% strikeout charge however an unsightly 13% stroll charge. The 6’6″ righty was a two-sport star in highschool, additionally shining as a basketball participant, and has drawn reward for each his athleticism and a energetic heater that sits mid-90s and reaches 97 mph. He enhances the providing with a curveball, slider and changeup.
Baseball America ranked Burke 14th amongst Sox prospects coming into the season however has since dropped him off their checklist. He’s at the moment their No. 29 prospect at MLB.com and No. 23 at FanGraphs. Every of Burke’s secondary choices has drawn common or higher scores, however his total arsenal is undercut by a scarcity of command.
Splitting time between two sports activities in highschool, lacking a yr of his NCAA profession at Maryland as a result of Tommy John surgical procedure, and lacking a lot of the 2023 marketing campaign as a result of shoulder troubles have all lower into some potential improvement time for Burke. Optimists may argue his command may but realistically be anticipated to enhance on account of this, however the pair of arm accidents can also be a transparent concern.
To his credit score, Burke has certainly reduce on his stroll charge, going from 16.3% in Triple-A final yr to 13% this yr. He’s improved notably as of late, logging a 3.66 ERA, 37.4% strikeout charge and eight.3% stroll charge throughout his previous seven begins. It’s clear there’s nonetheless work to be completed on his command, however he’s trending in the appropriate route the additional he distances himself from final yr’s shoulder woes.
Now, Burke would be the subsequent man up for what could possibly be a traditionally poor White Sox season. There’s no quick spot within the rotation, with Jonathan Cannon slated to start out tonight and Davis Martin going tomorrow, adopted by a Thursday off-day. Nevertheless, the Sox used 4 relievers to cowl 6 1/3 innings yesterday, together with 3 1/3 from Nastrini. He wouldn’t have been accessible to pitch after that prolonged aid look, so he’ll head to Triple-Some time the South Siders summon a recent arm to probably present size out of the ’pen. It’s conceivable that Burke may get a begin or two down the stretch, notably if he doesn’t pitch right now or tomorrow.
