After taking University of Miami catcher Zack Collins with their first pick Thursday night, the White Sox doubled up on a pair of college right-handers, taking Zack Burdi and Alec Hansen with the No. 26 and No. 49 picks, respectively.
Burdi, a relief pitcher from the University of Louisville and the brother of Twins 2014 second round pick Nick Burdi, has a big fastball that sits in the high 90s and has been clocked as 102 mph. He mixes in a power breaking ball, which makes some scouts believe he can be moved to the rotation down the road.
Knowing the Sox history of moving pitchers fast, and their need for bullpen help, it would certainly not be out of the question that Burdi makes the majors this year. This would certainly not rule out a move to the rotation in the future–as that is of course the path Chris Sale took–but the bullpen may be where Burdi stays regardless.
Hansen, on the other hand, is a starter from the University of Oklahoma with premium stuff, and command that lags far behind. At one point considered a top prospect in the draft, his stats from the 2016 season tell another story: he pitched 52 innings of 5.40 ERA ball, striking out 75 but walking 39 batters. At six-feet, seven-inches and weighing 230 pounds, Hansen sits in the low to mid-90s and has been clocked as high as 98 mph with a power slider. As evidenced by his inability to retire college batters, Hansen will likely take a while to develop and is a high-risk prospect, but could be a very nice get for the third round if he clicks.
Lead Image Credit: Caylor Arnold // USA Today Sports Images