Zack Burdi

Position:
RHP
Height:
6-3
Weight:
205
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Downers Grove, Ill.
High School:
Downers Grove South

Career Honors:
• 2016 MLB Draft - 1st Round (26th overall) - Chicago White Sox
• 2016 NCBWA First Team All-America
• 2016 Louisville Slugger Second Team All-America
• 2016 All-ACC First Team
• ACC Pitcher of the Week (5/16/16)
• 2016 Team Captain
• 2015 Louisville Slugger Third Team All-America
• 2015 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
• 2015 All-ACC First Team

2016: Closed collegiate career ranked second in career in saves at Louisville with 20, including 11 this season. Earned 11th save of the season with 1.2 innings of relief against Wright State on June 5 in NCAA Regional clinching win. Made a pair of scoreless relief appearances at the ACC Championships against Wake Forest and Virginia. Earned 10th save of the season and 19th of collegiate career with a scoreless ninth inning at Wake Forest on May 19. Registered back-to-back saves in the first two games of the weekend sweep of NC State finishing with three strikeouts in each of the two outings. Picked up second straight two-inning save finishing with three strikeouts and touching 101 mph twice on the Hawkins Field scoreboard in May 10 performance at No. 7 Vanderbilt. Earned sixth save of the season finishing with four strikeouts in two innings of perfect relief at No. 17 North Carolina on May 6. Registered fifth save of the season April 29 against St. John’s as Cardinals capped doubleheader sweep. Worked a scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout in Louisville’s series-clinching win over No. 16 Clemson on April 16. Finished with three strikeouts in 1.1 innings while earning fourth save in April 13 visit to No. 9 Kentucky. Had two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of perfect relief to close Louisville’s April 9 win at No. 5 Florida State. Made a pair of scoreless relief appearances in sweep of Virginia Tech, including 1.2 innings of shutout work with three strikeouts to earn the save in the series finale. Recorded second save of the season after striking out two in one inning of work at No. 5 Miami on March 20. Earned first save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning in March 12 win over Notre Dame. Was credited with first one of the season striking out both batters faced, including one with a 100 mph fastball, in March 11 series-opening win against Fighting Irish. Registered 100 mph on the Patterson Stadium scoreboard and struck out two during a scoreless ninth inning against Longwood on March 8. Had two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning against Princeton on March 6. Required only five pitches to record three outs, including a strikeout, in one inning of perfect relief at No. 21 Ole Miss on Feb. 28. Needed just 13 pitches to record two strikeouts in a perfect ninth inning in season debut on Feb. 21 against SIU Edwardsville.

Summer 2015: Came out of the bullpen for six appearances on the mound this summer for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Rising junior had a 3.72 ERA with six strikeouts and did not register a decision or a save in his 9.2 innings of work. Had four straight scoreless outings capped by two dominant innings of shutout relief against Cuba on July 3 when he needed just 12 pitches to record six outs. After joining the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod League following his Team USA experience, the hard throwing righty made five relief appearances and was 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 13.1 innings.

2015: Was 6-1 with nine saves and a 0.92 ERA to earn All-America and All-ACC honors in first season as the Cardinals’ closer. Worked 1.1 innings of shutout relief with three strikeouts to earn the victory in the May 30 win over Michigan at the NCAA Regional. Had two strikeouts in a perfect inning of relief for ninth save of the season against North Carolina at the ACC Championship on May 20. Earned fifth win of the season striking out career-high four in 1.2 innings of shutout relief at NC State on May 16. Locked down eighth save of the season with two innings of scoreless relief in May 14 series-opener at NC State. Improved to 4-0 on the season with two innings of shutout relief in Louisville’s 6-5 comeback series-clinching win against No. 7 Florida State. Worked a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout at Kentucky on May 6 for seventh save of the season. Registered 101 MPH on three different pitches on the stadium scoreboard at Clemson on May 3 while earning sixth save of the season. Needed just six pitches to deliver a perfect 10th inning and earn third win of the season in April 28 victory over Kentucky. Locked down fifth save of the season with 1.2 innings of shutout relief to close weekend sweep of Bethune-Cookman on April 26. Earned fourth save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning in series-opening win at Duke on April 10. Registered 99 mph on multiple pitches in a perfect ninth inning on April 6 to complete the Cardinals’ sweep at nationally ranked Virginia. Earned a pair of saves in the Cardinals series sweep of No. 28 Georgia Tech. Worked 3.2 innings of shutout relief with two strikeouts during Cardinals’ 18-inning win at No. 22 Notre Dame on March 21. Recorded the final two outs and earned first career save in March 15 win over Boston College to complete series sweep. Made season debut with 1.2 innings of shutout relief to earn the victory in Cardinals’ 5-4 win over Boston College on March 14.

2014: Made 13 relief appearances and worked 10.1 innings overall finishing with a 4.35 ERA in first collegiate season. Had a 1-2-3 eighth inning in the Cardinals' May 11 win at Temple. Worked a perfect inning of relief against Morehead State on April 23. Had one strikeout in one inning of scoreless work against Western Illinois on March 11. Worked 1.2 innings of shutout relief with a career best two strikeouts against Eastern Illinois on Feb. 25. Made college debut working two innings of shutout and no-hit relief to earn the win in Cardinals' home-winning triumph over Eastern Kentucky on Feb. 19.

High School: Ranked as No. 6 player in Illinois according to Prep Baseball Report as a senior. Rated No. 248 nationally by Perfect Game. Was an All-State and All-Region selection. Perfect Game National Showcase participant. Played two seasons for head coach Darren Orel at Downers Grove South.

Personal: Born on March 9, 1995 in Downers Grove Ill. Son of Deborah and Robert Burdi. Has two brothers, Drew and Nick, also a member of the Louisville baseball team. Majoring in history. After college he plans to play baseball professionally. Person with the greatest influence on his career is his brother Nick because he is a hard worker with a great work ethic. Favorite movie is Breakfast Club. Favorite athlete is Dustin Pedroia. Favorite cereal is Apple Jacks. Favorite team is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Favorite restaurant is Buca di Beppo. Enjoys all types of music. If he could eat dinner with anybody, he would invite Steve Jobs because he is an innovator that always wanted more.