Former Auburn pitcher Blake Burkhalter identified as possible 2023 breakout prospect
Auburn baseball head coach Butch Thompson is proud of his program's history of player development, and MLB is beginning to agree with Thompson's track record. Last season, eight players were taken by MLB teams in the draft, and of note to Thompson, none of them had previously been drafted.
"Eight guys going in the top 20 rounds. Five pitchers taken in the top 12 rounds. That's significant because not everybody has five draft eligible pitchers go during the top 12 rounds. [...] All eight had never been drafted before, in their careers. Not at a high school. Not from the junior college. Not from the four-year school they were at before here. It signals development."
One of those drafted players was closer Blake Burkhalter, #76 overall by the Atlanta Braves. The junior from Dothan, AL who walked onto the team in 2020 finished the 2022 season 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA and 16 saves, 2nd in the NCAA and 2nd most in program history, and a 2nd Team All-American. He features a multitude of fastballs, including a 98 mph 4-seamer and a cutter, as well as an effective changeup that former pitching coach (and former Atlanta Brave) Tim Hudson thinks are collectively already polished enough to be competitive.
“I think he could pitch in the big leagues right now, just because of the command with those three pitches,” Hudson said to MLB.com shortly after the draft. Burkhalter credits Hudson with learning the cutter, one that was key for Hudson en route to 222 MLB wins in a 16-year career.
Others have noticed Burkhalter's cutter, as well. J.J. Cooper, Executive Editor of Baseball America, recently brought up Burkhalter unprompted in a recent subscribers chat ($). Asked about potential candidates to make "huge jumps" in 2023, the first (and only) player Cooper went to was Burkhalter.
"If you're looking for someone who is not on a lot of radars right now but could break out in 2023, how about Braves RHP Blake Burkhalter? He has two excellent pitches thanks to his fastball and power cutter/slider. The Braves have shown they can develop pitchers with those characteristics and he already had some college success at Auburn. "
Once considered destined for the bullpen as a high-leverage reliever, the Braves announced Burkhalter as a starting pitcher at the MLB Draft and Atlanta has had recent success with a pitcher that was considered to "only" have a closer's arsenal: RHP Spencer Strider. The favorite for NL Rookie of the Year, Strider moved from the bullpen into the starting rotation in May and became the first MLB rookie since 2012 to record 200 strikeouts (as well as being the fastest rookie in MLB history to the accomplishment) off of solely his fastball/slider combo. The 2020 draftee out of Clemson is currently on the injured list with a strained oblique, but is expected back for the postseason.
For more on former Auburn players in the minor leagues, follow Locked On MLB Prospects on YouTube, Twitter, and wherever you get your podcasts.
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