South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 31: Ryan Burr

Ryan Burr
6´4´´
225 pounds
Throws: Right
Age: 24
SSS rank among all right-handed relief pitchers in the system: 4

On Aug. 11, 2017, the White Sox traded international signing bonus pool money to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Burr, a former fifth round pick. At that time, Burr was rolling, rolling, rolling along with the Visalia Rawhide, the D-Backs Single-A+ team. Since the trade, Burr has advanced rapidly, from Winston-Salem to Chicago, with a stop in-between at Birmingham and Charlotte in 2018.

Burr is the all-time saves leader for Arizona State, and posted a 2.91 ERA with 14 saves as he fanned 74 batters in 46 innings during his senior season. In his first two years of professional ball (with the D-Backs rookie squads and Kane County), Burr combined for a 2.05 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 8.9 BB% and 29.4 K%. For three teams in 2017 (including Winston-Salem), Burr combined for a 1.65 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 10.0 BB% and 33.8 K%.

Burr’s numbers in 2018 with Birmingham and Charlotte have been impressive as well, even after factoring his rough month of May, combining for a 2.45 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 12.0 BB% and 24.5 K%. Burr’s numbers are especially impressive considering he had a relatively difficult start to the season. From June 1 to August 22 when he was promoted to the White Sox, however, Burr made hitters ice cold by allowing just two earned runs, 16 hits and 10 walks, while striking out 37 over 30 ²⁄₃ innings. Burr was much more hittable after his promotion to the White Sox, as he posted a 7.45 ERA and 1.86 WHIP in eight games totaling 9 ²⁄₃ innings, in which he allowed 12 hits, three homers, six walks and six strikeouts.

Burr’s repertoire includes a mid-90s fastball that peaks at 97 mph; he also features an above-average slider. A changeup is Burr’s third pitch, but he doesn’t throw it often; since he held lefties in Double-A to the same average as righties, this doesn’t seem to be too big of an issue for him presently.

After getting his feet wet in 2018, Burr broke camp with the White Sox and has survived a series of bullpen purges in the early going, while also serving a short stint on the IL with A/C joint inflammation. He so far has improved on the rough September 2018 numbers, with a 4.60 ERA (5.08 FIP) in 13 games so far, with a very workable 1.213 WHIP.

Take a look!

Video courtesy of 2080 Baseball.

2019 South Side Sox Top 100 Prospects

31. Ryan Burr, RHRP
32. Lincoln Henzman, RHSP
33. Caleb Frare, LHRP
34. José Ruiz, RHRP
35. Lency Delgado, SS
36. Zach Thompson, RHRP
37. Camilo Quinteiro, 2B
38. A.J. Puckett, RHSP
39. Amado Nuñez, 2B
40. Jordan Guerrero, LHSP
41. Tyler Frost, RF
42. Danny Mendick, SS
43. Yeyson Yrizarri, SS
44. Kade McClure, RHSP
45. Luis Mieses, CF
46. Ti’quan Forbes, 3B
47. Thyago Vieira, RHRP
48. Corey Zangari, 1B
49. Yermin Mercedes, C
50. Anderson Comas, RF
51. Gunnar Troutwine, C
52. Codi Heuer, RHSP
53. Andrew Perez, LHRP
54. Josue Guerrero, LF
55. Jacob Lindgren, LHRP
56. Ryan Cordell, CF
57. Joel Booker, LF
58. Bennett Sousa, LHRP
59. Blake Battenfield, RHSP
60. Caberea Weaver, CF
61. Matt Foster, RHRP
62. Tate Blackman, 2B
63. Hunter Schryver, LHRP
64. Romy González, CF
65. Carlos Perez, C
66. Trey Michalczewski, 3B
67. Taylor Varnell, LHSP
68. John Parke, LHSP
69. Mike Morrison, RHRP
70. Zach Remillard, 3B
71. Luis Martinez, RHSP
72. Zach Lewis, RHSP
73. José Nin, RHRP
74. Colton Turner, LHSP
75. Jhoandro Alfonso, C
76. Ramon Beltre, 2B
77. Charlie Tilson, CF
78. Hunter Kiel, RHRP
79. Jason Bilous, RHSP
80. Nick Johnson, RHRP
81. Danny Dopico, RHRP
82. Harvin Mendoza, 1B
83. Logan Sowers, RF
84. Maiker Feliz, 3B
85. Brayan Herrera, RHSP
86. Craig Dedelow, LF
87. Wilber Pérez, RHSP
88. Kyle Kubat, LHRP
89. Johan Dominguez, RHRP
90. Mitch Roman, 2B
91. Ty Greene, C
92. Tanner Banks, LHSP
93. Jake Elliott, RHRP
94. Kevin Escorcia, LHRP
95. Luis Rodriguez, RHSP
96. Ian Dawkins, LF
97. Victor Diaz, RHRP
98. Travis Moniot, LF
99. Will Kincanon, RHRP
100. Brian Clark, LHRP

More information on South Side Top Prospects.