McClure, Burdi Added to Louisville Baseball Coaching Staff
July 10, 2026 | Baseball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A pair of All-Americans are returning to the University of Louisville baseball program to join the coaching staff for the upcoming season.
Head coach Dan McDonnell has announced the hiring of former Cardinals pitchers Kade McClure and Nick Burdi to bolster the coaching staff on the pitching side.
"We are super excited to have these guys back at Louisville," McDonnell said. "It's no surprise these two have done amazing things in baseball already, having been All-American pitchers while at Louisville along with extensive pro careers.
"Our pitching staff is going to love their work ethic, competitiveness and ability to connect with others."
McClure will be the new Pitching Coach for the Cardinals, handling the day-to-day responsibilities with the pitching staff. He will have a focus on game preparation, call pitches and lead the recruiting efforts on the pitching side.
"Returning to the University of Louisville is truly a full-circle moment for my family and me," McClure said. "I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity provided by Coach Mac to give back to a place that has provided so much for us. This program helped shape who I am, and it's an honor to now help shape the next generation of student-athletes. I'm excited to get to work alongside our staff and players as we continue to build this program into a national championship contender. Our goal is clear—to compete at the highest level and do everything we can to bring Louisville its first national championship."
Burdi will serve as the Director of Pitching, overseeing pitching development with a focus on performance systems, analytics and data-driven decision making. He will also help handle opponent scouting and serve as the bullpen coach on gameday.
"Returning to my alma mater is a tremendous honor," Burdi said. "Louisville played a major role in shaping me as both a player and a person, and I'm grateful for the tradition and success that have made this program one of the best in college baseball. As an addition to this pitching department, I look forward to helping develop our pitchers, sharing the lessons I've learned throughout my professional career, and investing in our student-athletes both on and off the field. My goal is to help continue the standard of excellence that has defined Louisville Baseball and contribute in any way I can as we work toward getting back to Omaha and winning a national championship."
The two will work alongside Roger Williams, who will work as the Pitching Coordinator after 20 seasons as the UofL Pitching Coach.
A 2016 All-American, McClure returns to Louisville after a pair of coaching stops at Kent State and Mercer. The Mentor, Ohio, native served as the Director of Pitching Development at Kent State for the 2025 season, helping the Golden Flashes to a 38-18 record. Kent State saw improvements in ERA, WHIP, hits allowed and walks allowed in McClure's lone season.
"Kade McClure is a rising star in the coaching ranks," said Mike Birkbeck, Associate Head Coach and Pitching Coach at Kent State. "During his time here at Kent State, he displayed tremendous energy, a tireless work ethic, was detail oriented, and a strong connector with our players. Kade has a wealth of technical knowledge, a keen eye for talent, and is passionate about helping his student-athletes develop to their fullest potential. University of Louisville baseball got a good one."
McClure spent the 2026 season as the Pitching Coach at Mercer. The Bears finished with a 44-15 record and won the Southern Conference regular season title. McClure coached Garrett Lambert to All-America honors, while Braydon Kersey was a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award.
During his time as a player at Louisville, McClure posted a 21-5 career record with a 3.29 ERA in 213.1 innings of work. He was named an All-American following the 2016 season after going a perfect 12-0 with a 2.54 ERA. McClure was drafted in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox. He played professionally for eight years in the White Sox, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations, reaching as high as AAA.
"Kade McClure made a major impact here at Louisville as a pitcher, and I'm confident he will do the same as a coach," Williams said of his former standout. "He's a great example of an athletic big man that worked and developed here leading to a successful pro career. Our pitchers will gravitate quickly to his competitive nature and personality. Having already left a positive impression at his previous stops, Kade will once again leave his mark on Louisville baseball."
Burdi joins the Louisville staff straight off the diamond. The right-hander retired from Major League Baseball earlier this year, closing out a long professional career that saw him pitch parts of six seasons in the big leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. The Downers Grove, Ill., native logged more than 200 professional innings with over 300 strikeouts after being selected 46th overall by the Minnesota Twins in the 2014 MLB Draft.
"(Nick) Burdi is an incredible hire for any program – let alone one that he's this passionate about," said Dan DeLucia, AAA Pitching Coach for the Boston Red Sox. "The knowledge and wisdom he has gained throughout his extensive playing career will make a lasting impact on any student-athlete chasing success at the highest level. His ability to connect with people, paired with his work ethic and competitiveness, will keep driving the success at Louisville that he already helped build as a player."
Burdi was a two-time All-American during his playing career at Louisville. The UofL career and single-season leader in saves, Burdi was named the 2014 NCBWA Stopper of the Year after posting a miniscule 0.49 ERA with 18 saves. He finished with 65 strikeouts in 37.0 innings, striking out nearly 44 percent of batters he faced. His sophomore All-America campaign saw him record 16 saves with a 0.76 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 35.2 innings.
"Nick Burdi is one of the all-time greats here at Louisville," Williams said. "His drive and determination led him to the Majors and allowed him to overcome numerous setbacks during his career. That perseverance along with an exemplary work ethic will serve him well as he begins his coaching career. Our kids will easily connect with Nick. His knowledge of blending the most current strategies will complement our pitchers' development very well."
"These two guys have lived it – All-Americans and pros," Williams added. "They understand the program's mission. It's a special full circle moment for all of us."
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Fans can follow Louisville baseball on X, Facebook or Instagram at @LouisvilleBSB.
Head coach Dan McDonnell has announced the hiring of former Cardinals pitchers Kade McClure and Nick Burdi to bolster the coaching staff on the pitching side.
"We are super excited to have these guys back at Louisville," McDonnell said. "It's no surprise these two have done amazing things in baseball already, having been All-American pitchers while at Louisville along with extensive pro careers.
"Our pitching staff is going to love their work ethic, competitiveness and ability to connect with others."
McClure will be the new Pitching Coach for the Cardinals, handling the day-to-day responsibilities with the pitching staff. He will have a focus on game preparation, call pitches and lead the recruiting efforts on the pitching side.
"Returning to the University of Louisville is truly a full-circle moment for my family and me," McClure said. "I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity provided by Coach Mac to give back to a place that has provided so much for us. This program helped shape who I am, and it's an honor to now help shape the next generation of student-athletes. I'm excited to get to work alongside our staff and players as we continue to build this program into a national championship contender. Our goal is clear—to compete at the highest level and do everything we can to bring Louisville its first national championship."
Burdi will serve as the Director of Pitching, overseeing pitching development with a focus on performance systems, analytics and data-driven decision making. He will also help handle opponent scouting and serve as the bullpen coach on gameday.
"Returning to my alma mater is a tremendous honor," Burdi said. "Louisville played a major role in shaping me as both a player and a person, and I'm grateful for the tradition and success that have made this program one of the best in college baseball. As an addition to this pitching department, I look forward to helping develop our pitchers, sharing the lessons I've learned throughout my professional career, and investing in our student-athletes both on and off the field. My goal is to help continue the standard of excellence that has defined Louisville Baseball and contribute in any way I can as we work toward getting back to Omaha and winning a national championship."
The two will work alongside Roger Williams, who will work as the Pitching Coordinator after 20 seasons as the UofL Pitching Coach.
A 2016 All-American, McClure returns to Louisville after a pair of coaching stops at Kent State and Mercer. The Mentor, Ohio, native served as the Director of Pitching Development at Kent State for the 2025 season, helping the Golden Flashes to a 38-18 record. Kent State saw improvements in ERA, WHIP, hits allowed and walks allowed in McClure's lone season.
"Kade McClure is a rising star in the coaching ranks," said Mike Birkbeck, Associate Head Coach and Pitching Coach at Kent State. "During his time here at Kent State, he displayed tremendous energy, a tireless work ethic, was detail oriented, and a strong connector with our players. Kade has a wealth of technical knowledge, a keen eye for talent, and is passionate about helping his student-athletes develop to their fullest potential. University of Louisville baseball got a good one."
McClure spent the 2026 season as the Pitching Coach at Mercer. The Bears finished with a 44-15 record and won the Southern Conference regular season title. McClure coached Garrett Lambert to All-America honors, while Braydon Kersey was a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award.
During his time as a player at Louisville, McClure posted a 21-5 career record with a 3.29 ERA in 213.1 innings of work. He was named an All-American following the 2016 season after going a perfect 12-0 with a 2.54 ERA. McClure was drafted in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox. He played professionally for eight years in the White Sox, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations, reaching as high as AAA.
"Kade McClure made a major impact here at Louisville as a pitcher, and I'm confident he will do the same as a coach," Williams said of his former standout. "He's a great example of an athletic big man that worked and developed here leading to a successful pro career. Our pitchers will gravitate quickly to his competitive nature and personality. Having already left a positive impression at his previous stops, Kade will once again leave his mark on Louisville baseball."
Burdi joins the Louisville staff straight off the diamond. The right-hander retired from Major League Baseball earlier this year, closing out a long professional career that saw him pitch parts of six seasons in the big leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. The Downers Grove, Ill., native logged more than 200 professional innings with over 300 strikeouts after being selected 46th overall by the Minnesota Twins in the 2014 MLB Draft.
"(Nick) Burdi is an incredible hire for any program – let alone one that he's this passionate about," said Dan DeLucia, AAA Pitching Coach for the Boston Red Sox. "The knowledge and wisdom he has gained throughout his extensive playing career will make a lasting impact on any student-athlete chasing success at the highest level. His ability to connect with people, paired with his work ethic and competitiveness, will keep driving the success at Louisville that he already helped build as a player."
Burdi was a two-time All-American during his playing career at Louisville. The UofL career and single-season leader in saves, Burdi was named the 2014 NCBWA Stopper of the Year after posting a miniscule 0.49 ERA with 18 saves. He finished with 65 strikeouts in 37.0 innings, striking out nearly 44 percent of batters he faced. His sophomore All-America campaign saw him record 16 saves with a 0.76 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 35.2 innings.
"Nick Burdi is one of the all-time greats here at Louisville," Williams said. "His drive and determination led him to the Majors and allowed him to overcome numerous setbacks during his career. That perseverance along with an exemplary work ethic will serve him well as he begins his coaching career. Our kids will easily connect with Nick. His knowledge of blending the most current strategies will complement our pitchers' development very well."
"These two guys have lived it – All-Americans and pros," Williams added. "They understand the program's mission. It's a special full circle moment for all of us."
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on X, Facebook or Instagram at @LouisvilleBSB.
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