Nick Burdi has lived many baseball lives. The 32-year-old right-hander has pitched for the Pirates, Cubs, Yankees and Red Sox. He has survived two Tommy John surgeries, thoracic outlet surgery and an emergency appendectomy. Now he enters 2026 with yet another team and another shot at sticking in the majors.
The New York Mets signed Burdi to a minor league contract on Nov. 25, 2025. He received an invitation to spring training. For Yankees fans, his name should ring a bell. Burdi spent the 2024 season in the Bronx and delivered one of the most impressive stretches of his career before injuries struck again. The Yankees bullpen benefited greatly from his presence during those months. Many Yankees supporters still wonder what could have been if he had stayed healthy.
A former top prospect with elite arm talent
Nicholas Edward Burdi was born Jan. 19, 1993, in Hinsdale, Illinois. He attended Downers Grove South High School, where he played both baseball and football. Before his junior year, he dropped football to focus on pitching.
The Minnesota Twins drafted him in the 24th round in 2011. Burdi chose college instead. He enrolled at the University of Louisville and became one of the best closers in college baseball. By his sophomore year, he could throw 100 mph. He dominated hitters with a fastball and slider combination that would later impress Yankees scouts.
In his junior year at Louisville, Burdi posted a 0.49 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 37 innings. He set school records with 34 career saves. Baseball America ranked him among the top prospects for the 2014 MLB Draft. The Twins selected him again, this time in the second round with the 46th overall pick. He signed for a bonus of $1,218,800.
His younger brother, Zack Burdi, also made it to the majors. The Chicago White Sox drafted Zack 26th overall in 2016. He pitched for the White Sox, Orioles and Rays before retiring in April 2025. Both Burdi brothers followed similar paths through the minors, though Nick eventually found his best success with the Yankees.
Injuries derailed a promising career
Burdi climbed through the minors quickly. He reached Double-A within a year of signing. Then the injuries started.
A bone bruise in his right elbow wiped out most of 2016. He returned in 2017 but needed Tommy John surgery in May. The Philadelphia Phillies selected him in the Rule 5 draft that December. They traded him to Pittsburgh for $500,000 in international bonus money.
Burdi made his MLB debut on Sept. 11, 2018, with the Pirates. He appeared in just two games that season. The following year, he made the Opening Day roster and looked primed for a breakout. In 11 appearances, he struck out 17 batters but posted a 9.35 ERA.
Then came the moment that changed everything. On April 22, 2019, Burdi collapsed on the mound at PNC Park. He clutched his right arm in pain. He underwent thoracic outlet surgery that June. Very few pitchers return from that procedure successfully. The Yankees would later give him a chance to revive his career after this setback.
Burdi beat the odds and came back in 2020. He earned his first MLB save on July 28 against Milwaukee. But he appeared in only three games before another elbow injury shut him down. In October 2020, he had his second Tommy John surgery. He missed all of 2021 and most of 2022. The Yankees eventually took a flyer on the struggling reliever.
A brief but brilliant run in the Bronx
The Yankees signed Burdi to a minor league deal on Dec. 21, 2023. He arrived at spring training as a non-roster invitee. He had pitched just 19 MLB games across six seasons. Few expected much.
Burdi shocked everyone. He showed up throwing 100 mph from a lower arm slot. He had adjusted his mechanics to reduce stress on his body. The results were electric. The Yankees coaching staff took immediate notice.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone could not hide his excitement. “From pure stuff, that’s as nasty as you will ever witness,” Boone said in March 2024.
Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake was equally impressed. “That’s as good an arm as there is out there,” Blake said. “He’s had tantalizing stuff. He’s just had a hard time staying on the field.”
The Yankees organization has developed a reputation for turning unheralded relievers into productive arms. Names like Lucas Luetge, Ian Hamilton and Clay Holmes found success in the Bronx. Burdi looked poised to join that list. The Yankees coaching staff believed they had found another diamond in the rough.
He earned a spot on the Yankees Opening Day roster. He posted a 1.86 ERA through 12 appearances. He struck out 12 batters in 9.2 innings while allowing just two earned runs. His four-seam fastball averaged 98 mph and reached triple digits. His slider generated swings and misses with 117 percent more horizontal movement than average.
Former teammate Jameson Taillon praised his resilience. “Through every injury and obstacle Nick’s had, he just attacks something new, doesn’t complain and focuses on getting better,” Taillon said. “It’s pretty inspiring to watch him work.”
Then the injury bug returned. Burdi went on the injured list May 24 with right hip inflammation. He missed two months. After a brief return in August, the Yankees designated him for assignment on Sept. 7. He cleared waivers and finished the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees affiliate.
Burdi bounces back in Boston
Burdi signed with the Red Sox in February 2025 after his stint with the Yankees. He dominated at Triple-A Worcester with a 0.54 ERA in his first 13 appearances. He struck out 25 batters in 16.2 innings.
Boston called him up in mid-May. He made four scoreless appearances and threw 5.1 innings without allowing a run. He struck out five and walked two. He looked similar to the pitcher who had dominated for the Yankees the previous year.
A foot injury landed him on the injured list June 3. A hip injury followed in July. The Red Sox designated him for assignment Aug. 11. He finished the season at Worcester with a 2.83 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 35 innings. His velocity remained strong, though not quite at Yankees levels.
Now a Met with one more chance
The Mets represent Burdi’s sixth organization. He brings a career 5.34 ERA in 35 MLB appearances. But his career FIP of 3.84 suggests bad luck on balls in play.
His fastball still sits in the mid-90s. His slider remains devastating. The talent has never been the question. Health has always been the issue.
Burdi turns 33 on Jan. 19, 2026. He has never pitched more than 12 games in an MLB season. But he refuses to quit.
“I feel like at some point, the tides are gonna turn and the health is gonna be there,” Burdi told the New York Post in 2024 while with the Yankees. “To me, if someone’s gonna give me a chance, I want to make the most of it and run with the opportunity.”
For the Mets, the signing carries zero financial risk. If Burdi stays healthy, they could add a power arm to their bullpen. If not, they lose nothing.
For Burdi, it is another chance to prove the arm that once wowed Yankees coaches and front office executives can still dominate MLB hitters. His time in the Bronx showed what he can do when healthy. The Yankees saw flashes of brilliance that left lasting impressions. The Yankees development staff worked closely with him on mechanical adjustments.
Yankees fans who watched his 2024 performances know the potential. The arm talent is undeniable. The question remains whether his body will finally cooperate. Should Burdi succeed with the Mets, Yankees supporters will remember what might have been in the Bronx.
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