Sean
Burke

2021 MLB Draft: At 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, Burke has a frame that could eat major league innings right now. He works downhill from a high-3/4 slot, producing some of the easiest velocity in the college ranks, effortlessly filling the zone with mid-90s fastballs. His best secondary offering is a slider, which has two-plane break and sits 82-86. In a late March outing, he started to show more confidence in his changeup the third time through the order and it showed as a potential above average pitch, as he throws it with fastball arm speed and it has late tumble. His curveball is more of a strike stealer early in counts, but it’s a usable fourth pitch.

Was dazzling for most of his outing, looking every bit like a bona fide All-America candidate and potential first-round pick. At 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, Burke has a big-time big league body and stuff to match. Like Benschoter, he ran his heater up to 96 mph in the first inning, sitting at 92-95 with explosive life through the zone. His fastball has an elite spin rate as high as 2806 rpm on my Stalker Pro IIs radar gun, and that spin rate remained north of 2600 rpm even as his velocity settled into the 91-93 range in the middle innings. He struggled with his command a bit in the first inning, issuing two walks and a wild pitch and allowing a single through the right side, all of which led to a pair of Michigan State runs — but then he was utterly dominant for the next four frames, retiring 14 straight batters, 10 of them via strikeouts, including six in a row from the third to the fifth. He allowed one more run in the sixth but finished the inning with two more strikeouts to end the night with 13 Ks in six innings of two-hit ball. Burke also got into a real groove with his secondary stuff, showing a consistent plus slider at 82-84 with vicious late two-plane action, along with a good downer curveball at 75-79 that served as the putaway pitch on three of his strikeouts. Early in the game he also threw what looked like a short cutter at 84-87, though it may have just been a harder version of the slider while he was amped up. He also flashed feel for a solid changeup at 81-82. It all added up to make Burke the most impressive pro prospect on display Friday in Greenville. The third-year sophomore looks primed for a monster year and looks on track to be a premium draft pick. (Aaron Fitt)

Talented young man at 6-foot-4, 185-pounds. He showed well as a positional player and well on the mound. At first base, his feet are good and he showed a throwing velocity of 72. At the plate, he is long and lanky which leads to a longer swing. Tee exit velocity of 86 and he swung the bat very well in the game. The swing does need to be more direct to the ball as its long. Ran a 4.7 down the line  On the mound, he was good. He sat at 81/2 with a riding fastball and a long arm action on the backside. He has some crossfire to his feet which leads to deception. The breaking ball gets hurt by the crossfire in his feet, it sat at 66 with a good shape to it. The changeup was 75 with no rotation.

High level prospect on the mound, additionally, showed a tremendous amount of potential at the plate. Tee exit velocity of 93 mph. Hits out of a wide base, with a slight forward lean as the ball approaches. The hands are quick, direct and the path is clean. Has leverage due to the fact he is 6-foot-4, 190-pounds. The frame projects as well, could fill out nicely. Showed good footwork at first base and the ability to make all the throws. On the mound, the fastball comes at you from a higher than ¾ arm slot with downhill plane to it. Fastball touched 88 mph, sitting 85-86. The breaking ball shows signs of being a good pitch as he tries to keep it small with depth, sits 68-72 mph. The changeup is a work in progress, sitting 77-78. The delivery is athletic, above average athleticism in everything he did. He repeats the athletic lift, long arm path and good extension out front. Has slight forward lean as he lifts and coils his top half.  High level guy!