Twins prospect Nick Burdi will miss the remainder of the 2017 campaign due to Tommy John surgery, reports MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger (on Twitter). It’s a “full thickness tear,” chief baseball officer Derek Falvey tells Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (Twitter link), thus necessitating the TJ procedure.
A top-rated prospect heading into the 2014 draft and one of the most well-regarded arms in the Twins’ minor league ranks, Burdi’s career had already been slowed by injuries even before today’s unfortunate news. (ESPN’s Keith Law notes that he missed most of the 2016 season with a bone bruise in his pitching elbow.) The flamethrowing 24-year-old reaches triple digits with regularity and had gotten off to a brilliant start to the season; after totaling just three innings last year, Burdi had rattled off 17 frames of one-run ball with an outstanding 20-to-4 K/BB ratio (with one of those free passes being of the intentional variety).
The Twins will now have to wait at least another year before seeing Burdi, whom many felt could be a quick riser through the minors, as a part of their big league bullpen. For a club that has somewhat surprisingly gotten off to a first-place start but still carries questions in the big league relief corps, the loss of a near-MLB-ready arm with Burdi’s upside is a tough blow. Burdi, however, won’t turn 25 until the offseason, so there’s still time for him to get his career back on track and help what the Twins hope will be a competitive club in 2018 and beyond.
Ouch… that one hurts. Was really hoping he would provide a mid season boost to the Twins bullpen… hopefully he has a quick recovery and can get back to the pitcher he’s been so far this year. DANG!
Thats what the twins get for trying to get power arms. Every pitcher the twins draft that throws are gets tommy john.
Are the Twins the only team in baseball that target power arms? That’s a silly comment man.
Marlins paid for it too with Kolek
Heck, for the longest time the Twins were the only team in baseball that DIDN’T target power arms… if you take out pitchers named Johan or Francisco, for the last 15 years the Twins haven’t produced all that much other than throwback sinker slider guys with 14 H/9, 4 K/9, and 0.1 BB/9.
Yeah, and Johan was a rule 5 guy. Mostly they had guys like Radke and Carlos Silva, Rick Reed, Kyle Lohse, Eric Milton, etc. The thing is, they won with those teams because they had good defenses, generally good control, and this was before the strikeout revolution in the game. They’ve been a little slow to embrace the new game, mostly because they had the same upper-management team in place for so long. Hard to teach old dogs new tricks. But it seems like they’re learning now.
Yes, and “power” arms are hardly the only ones in need of TJ surgery. It can happen to any pitcher, or position player for that matter.
They have only just started drafkyle ting power arms in the last maybe 5 drafts and most of the ones they have taken have needed tj just look at there pitching now at the mlb level they have 2 guys on the 25 man roster that can hit 95 mph and they only drafted 1 of them. They have been a franchise that only drafted strike throwers. So that was me making fun of my home town team for being a5 years behind the rest of the mlb in pitching philosophy.
Hurts even more because the longer they remain relevant this year, the more the front office will want to add some more impact pieces for a postseason run. I know it was mentioned in the Brad Hand post that Minnesota could be a potential landing spot but they would have to give up Gordon or Burdi. Hopefully he can rehab quickly to help the Twins in the future.
I don’t think the Twins will be trading Gordon. Especially not for a reliever.
even healthy burdi isn’t even close to the same level of value as Gordon. those aren’t comparable prospects in a trade
This pretty much guarantees that younger brother Zack who was on a faster track to the majors with the White Sox, will make his MLB debut first. Both pitchers were drafted out of the University of Louisville, Nick in 2014 and Zack in 2016. Zack is already pitching “lights out” at AAA Charlotte for Chicago and figures to get promoted as soon as one of their back-end relievers gets traded this summer, most likely closer David Robertson.
The padres can give the twins a hand to help out their bullpen. I am sure the twins and padres can get a deal done involving nick gordon and brad hand.
Why would the Twins give up Gordon for a reliever? Must be from San Diego area I assume.
Same reason the Cubs gave up Gleyber Torres (top 20 ss prospect) in a deal for Chapman. Dominant relievers are expensive. The twins don’t have to trade for Hand, but if they want him Nick Gordon will be a must to get a deal done. I assume you don’t know the price teams paid to acquire Kimbrel (padres and red sox), giles, chapman, miller (red sox and indians), and other dominant arms the past couple years.
Are you seriously equating a proven and dominating closer like Aroldis Chapman to Brad Hand? Even a comparison of Hand to southpaw Andrew Miller would be ludicrous at this point in time, especially when considering the former hasn’t pitched in relief for a contending ball club since becoming a full time member of the Padres pen back in 2016.
The twins are not a team that is 1 closer away from being a ws favorite like the cubs were and Brad Hand isn’t as valuable as any of those relievers you mentioned.
The Brewers traded Wil Smith to the Giants last year for Phil Bickford who was the 50th overall prospect in the game along with Susac. Smith wasn’t a closer, and wasn’t lights out. Hand will fetch a top 100 prospect plus another prospect.
Keyword was, where is he now? Not even in the brewers top 10. Gordon was 40-50 going into the season and is having a great season and his stock is only going up.
“Dominant relievers are expensive”
No matter what example you look at closer or non closer that is a fact.
Closers- chapman, giles, kimbrel they all cost 3+ prospects with top 100 player(s) included. Jeffress was part of the lucroy trade and netted two great prospects in top 100.
Non- closers: miller, will smith in recent years have netted at least 1 top prospect.
I never said hand would cost the twins gordon and others. Realistically it coud be a hand for gordon swap or other pieces being included.
Course this assumes the twins are in it.
Yeah, hes actually suspended cause of weed. Hard to improve your stock when youre not allowed to play. 50 games. Also according to mlb.com hes ranked #5.
Hand is a very good reliever; he had a terrific season last year and has started out well this year (although he was shaky his last two outings.) But without quite the dominance of those other guys mentioned and with only a season and two months of a track record. They’re not getting a top 20 type of guy for Hand but they should get a top-50 type and perhaps an interesting piece.
The reason the Cubs gave up Torres for Chapman was because Chapman was the most dominant closer available, the Cubs have a really good young shortstop, and they had serious bullpen holes with strop’s injury and rondon’s struggles.
those were last years ranking if you go to mlb.com 2017 prospects you will see he is ranked 12th in the system. and being suspended for weed does not drop you down that far alone.
Reliever with a 2.94 FIP =/= “dominant”. He’s a very good reliever, but he’s certainly not dominant like the guys you’re trying to compre him to. Again – look further than his ERA.
Last year 11.18 K/9, 77% left on base, 47% ground balls, 12.2% swinging strike rate.
This year 11.67 k/9, 55% ground balls, 14.4% swinging strike rates.
He’s getting K’s, groundballs, and making people miss on his pitches.
You seem to be confusing dominant with elite. I never said Hand was an elite reliever. He is a dominant reliever.
2016 here were his batting lines
Vs. R .233/.310/.379
Vs. L .124/.221/.200
2017 here are the battling lines so far
.Vs. R .186/.263/.261
Vs. L .143/.314/.321
Seems you didnt get past pitching estimators Priggs.
Oh and Brad Hand has 2 more years of arbitration left which also boosts the price.
If the twins want Brad Hand it will involve Nick Gordon. Otherwise the twins don’t many assets the padres would want. Which is fine. Padres should take the best deal available.
Other teams do have a ss prospect to negotiate withe.
Yankees have Jorge Mateo who the padres had previous interest in
Nationals have Carter Kieboom
Cardinals have Delvin Perez who the padres had interest in last years draft
Blue Jays have Bo Bichette and Richard Urena
That’s funny, I was going to say the same thing to you. Based on your so-called asking price and trade comparisons, it seems like you are the one confusing “dominant” and “elite” relievers…
Actually I never said hand would fetch what chapman kimbrel miller did. You’re assuming I did.
I listed those examples as proof that dominant relievers are expensive.
Had you actually read my comment I said there’s two realisitc options
1. A 1 for 1 deal hand for gordon
2. A deal of gordon and others going to the padres for hand and others to fill voids for the twins. Like cahill if the twins need a starter or something.
Funny, I suggest reading for comprehension next time Priggs. Twice it has failed you.
Mathteacher must have stayed in the sun too long. Seriously comparing Hand to Chapman? And the Cubs situation last year to the Twins?
the twins aren’t one reliever away from a title the Cubs were.
Chapman was a rental. Brad Hand is not. Hand has 2 more years on his contract.
The Twins still aren’t one reliever away.
They need two SP and two to three RP.
Bye Bye Burdi? Too soon?