Impact Of A Scholarship: Sean Burke

Sean Burke’s grandmother enjoyed babysitting him when he was a toddler. She often propped him up against the couch and rolled a baseball his way. Burke would throw the ball back at a limited speed, and the cycle would continue repeatedly. 

Burke’s love for baseball originated from such memories. He grew up as a star baseball player in Sutton, Massachusetts, and didn’t leave much until college. 

In middle school, he realized he wanted to play baseball for the rest of his life. Playing professionally became a real possibility when scouts started watching his high school games. 

During Burke’s junior year, he decided between four schools: Maryland, UConn, Virginia and Virginia Tech. 

“When I visited Maryland, I just really loved the campus,” Burke said. “I loved how the baseball field was in the middle of the campus. I loved how it was far from home but not too far, so it felt close. … I fell in love with the coaches once I took a visit.”

Burke committed to Maryland at the beginning of his junior year of high school. His first year with the program was in 2019, but he redshirted because he underwent Tommy John surgery, forcing him to miss the whole season. 

However, he returned from his injury in 2020 as the Terps’ best pitcher. He led the program with 22.2 innings pitched and held a 1.99 ERA among starting pitchers. He also led the team in strikeouts with 35, the most by a freshman pitcher in Division I. 

He was dominant, but the COVID-19 pandemic cut his impressive season short.

Coming into his sophomore year, Burke had high expectations. He was named the 2021 Perfect Game Preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and was a part of the 2021 Perfect Game Preseason All-Big Ten team. 

He lived up to the hype, pitching 74.1 innings with a 3.27 ERA. He led the team and ranked second in the Big Ten with 107 strikeouts. The total also ranked sixth-most in program history before his teammate, Jason Savacool, rung up 123 batters the following year. Burke helped Maryland make the NCAA Tournament and defeat Norfolk State in an elimination game. He pitched six scoreless innings and struck out eight to keep Maryland’s season alive. 

But his fondest memory as a Terp came during his final home game when he helped Maryland beat Indiana. 

“I threw into the seventh inning with a no-hitter, and it's always good to beat Indiana,” Burke said. “We had a mini rivalry with them, and we were trying to push to solidify a spot in the tournament. That was one of the more fun games I've had at Maryland.”

Off the field, Burke said then-head coach Rob Vaughn gave the team the weekends off. They would grind during the week but had free time on Saturday and Sunday. It allowed Burke to be a college kid, something he was grateful for. 

Burke studied marketing during his three years at Maryland. He said he had always wanted to pursue a career in business and felt marketing was right up his alley. 

He was on scholarship throughout his collegiate career from 2019-21 and said he’ll forever be thankful to the coaches and the donors for believing in him. 

“It just showed the coaches believed in me,” Burke said. “They showed that they believed in my talent. They believed in what I could do on the field. It was also nice making it more affordable for my family.”

After his season ended in 2021, Burke’s dream came true. It was a Monday afternoon, and Burke was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft with the 94th overall pick. It was a stressful day for Burke, but he celebrated with his closest family and friends. It’s a day he’ll never forget. 

A three-year minor league journey followed, but it was shorter than most. He spent most of his time in Double-A and Triple-A before being called up to the majors in September. Although his time in the minor leagues was less than most, there were still struggles, especially in the beginning. 

But Burke says his experiences at Maryland helped him rocket through the minor leagues and eventually reach the majors.

After returning from his Tommy John surgery leading up to his second year at Maryland, Burke said he had a terrible preseason in the fall. It was the first time he was failing in baseball. But he rebounded and had a stellar 2020 season. 

A similar situation arrived during his first month of pro ball. This time, he was ready to face it. 

“Because I experienced the kind of adjustment period when I got to Maryland, I was able to handle that better because I knew I've been through this situation before,” Burke said. “I just have to kind of make a few adjustments, and then I'll be good to go. I don't need to panic or get down on myself.”

His college outings helped him develop a bulldog mentality. He said being more locked in mentally gave him a significant advantage on his way to the White Sox. 

On Sept. 10, Burke made his MLB debut with the White Sox. He pitched three innings, giving up just one run while striking out three Cleveland Guardian batters. Although Chicago lost, Burke said it was the best day of his life. 

“[It was ] a culmination of all the hard work that I put in, all the hard work that my family did, all the sacrifices that people around me made for me in order to get to this point,” he said. “It was super special, and it was everything I could have dreamed of. I had a ton of adrenaline. I feel like I blacked out for the first inning or two, but it was awesome.”

He finished the 2024 season with a 1.42 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched. His best performance came against the San Diego Padres on Sept. 22, when he pitched six innings and struck out eight, giving up just one earned run. 

Burke will focus on the offseason and prepare for Spring Training in February. He has made it a goal to make the opening-day roster next season.  

“I want to make the team out of camp and have a successful year here,” he said. “I don't want to hold myself to any stat. Just go out every start and do the best I can. Then, hopefully, I look up in September, and I've had a really good year.”