With the 26th pick in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft, the Chicago White Sox selected University of Louisville RHP Zack Burdi.
Burd, like his older brother is an extremely hard thrower. Burdi's control is very good for a pitcher who throws as hard as he does. His throws range in 95-99 MPH with some of his pitches even topping off around 101. His fastball has a good blend of velocity and movement, making it a plus/plus pitch of his. He has a very good change-up pitch, as well. He also brings a decent slider pitch to the table. While his change-up pitch has some scouts to believe that it is good enough to allow him to start in the higher up levels, Burdi will more than likely find his way to the majors faster as a reliever.
Zack made his way down to Louisville from Downers' Grove, Illinois. He had a very firm commitment to play for the Cardinals, which led to him not being drafted at all out of high school. In 2016, he recorded 10 saves, 45 strikeouts, and walked only 7 batters while keeping his opponents' batting average to .144.
Burdi becomes the second-highest draft pick in Louisville history, trailing only teammate Corey Ray, who was selected 5th overall Thursday night.
Pro comparison: Craig Kimbrel