Fueled by unwavering support, former Maryland right-handed pitcher Sean Burke can draw motivation from his underdog journey to the major leagues with the Chicago White Sox.
Burke, 24, made his big league debut with the White Sox on Sept. 10, pitching three innings of one-run ball in relief. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound right-hander then made three starts to close out the season, allowing three runs in 16 innings during those starts.
The former Terp had to go down a tough road to get to this point, with shoulder issues costing him time the past two seasons and contributing to a delayed debut date in the majors. However, he showcased his potential in September despite the earlier challenges.
“I think it’s helped me even more just because I always had that chip on my shoulder,” Burke said on Glenn Clark Radio Sept. 26. “I’m from Massachusetts. I didn’t go to a big SEC school, so that stuff just motivates me more. I like being one of the only guys from my area that’s been able to make it up here. I think that the support I’ve gotten from everybody back home has just made it even better. Everybody from back home is pulling for me, too.”
Burke became the fifth former Terp to play in the big leagues in 2024, joining Jose Cuas, Brandon Lowe, Kevin Smith and LaMonte Wade Jr. In two seasons at Maryland, Burke finished with an 8-3 record with a 2.97 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 97 innings pitched.
Burke was recognized as a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American following the shortened 2020 season. In 2021, he led the Terps with 107 strikeouts, ranking second in the Big Ten, while limiting batters to a .178 batting average — one of the top marks among starting pitchers in the conference. That led to an opportunity with the White Sox as a third-round pick.
Maryland head coach Matt Swope was an assistant while Burke was with the program. Swope became the head coach in 2023 following the departure of Rob Vaughn to Alabama. Swope always keeps an eye on what Maryland’s former players are up to in pro ball.
“Swope’s awesome, man,” Burke said. “Even though he wasn’t my direct coach when I was at Maryland, we were still super close. We would always kick it and talk to each other in the dugout during practice. Swope’s awesome. I’m glad he got to make it out.”
Burke’s time in the majors has allowed him to get some of the recognition he deserves. For many athletes, moments in their careers stand out as markers of success, times when they realize they’ve reached the level they always dreamed of.
Social media accounts can help fans get a glimpse of all the unique talent across MLB. The Pitching Ninja X/Twitter account shows videos of pitchers throwing their nastiest stuff, becoming a go-to resource for players and fans to learn more about pitchers across the league.
“That’s a goal of guys to get on that, so to get recognized by him was pretty cool,” Burke said. “That was one of my big ‘Wow, I made it’ moments.”
Those moments become even more special when they involve competing against the very players he once idolized as a fan. Given that he grew up in Massachusetts, it’s no surprise Burke was at one point a big Red Sox fan. Burke watched players like Andrew Benintendi, who was a key part of the team during Burke’s high school and college days.
Now, Burke is teammates with Benintendi in Chicago.
“Playing with Benintendi is really cool and now getting to go against guys like Xander Bogaerts is pretty surreal for me, too,” Burke said.
Burke has always been focused on not only improving himself but also contributing to the future success of the teams he plays for. His dedication to growing alongside other emerging talent reflects his commitment to building a foundation for sustained success in the coming years.
The White Sox haven’t made the playoffs since 2021, bottoming out with a 41-121 record in 2024. This season was especially tough, but there’s still reason for optimism. With a promising group of young talent in the system, the White Sox have the pieces to rebuild and get back to winning baseball in the future.
“I think that, where we are at right now, we definitely have a lot of young talent in the system, a lot of young talent on the team now,” Burke said. “I’m going to do my best to keep trying to throw well each time out and be a part of that core that moves forward with this organization in the next three, four, five years, however long it may be and get back to winning baseball here.”
For more from Burke, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Darren Georgia/White Sox