It was only a matter of time before the Boston College baseball program found its new pitching coach after former pitching/assistant coach Ryan Forrest was hired
as Princeton's new head coach in mid-July.
On Wednesday, that move officially occurred.
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According to D1Baseball's Kendall Rogers, BC hired former Louisville standout pitcher and the program's current director of pitching Nick Burdi
to lead the Eagles' arm staff next year.
Burdi joins the Birdball staff after a brief professional stint, in which he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
, the Chicago Cubs
, the New York Yankees
, and the Boston Red Sox
, totaling three wins and two losses with a 5.34 career earned runs average (ERA) in 35 appearances.
He took a job on the Cardinals' staff this summer, per Rogers, but saw a better opportunity for himself in Chestnut Hill, Mass., and seized it.
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During his playing career at Louisville, from 2012-2014, the Downers Grove, Ill., native received numerous honors, starting with a First-Team All-Big East nod in 2013, including First Team Perfect Game All-America and Second Team NCBWA All-America selections.
In 2014, in which he became the Cardinals' single-season and career saves leader, he picked up NCBWA Stopper of the Year, First Team Louisville Slugger All-America, First Team NCBWA All-America, First Team Perfect Game All-America, First Team ABCA All-America, and First Team All-American Conference shouts, in addition to being recognized for the Golden Spikes Award on its 30-player watch list.
Burdi finished his sophomore campaign with a 0.76 ERA with 16 saves, in which he fanned 62 batters with only 25 hits against and 13 walks. He ended his career with a total ERA of 2.58 and a batting average against mark of .233.
This past season, BC's pitching staff generated a 4.86 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) under Forrest en route to a double bye in the 2026 ACC Baseball Tournament and an NCAA Tournament appearance - the Eagles' first since 2023.
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With the hire, fans can expect to see Burdi improving BC's pitcher's throwing velocities to new heights, as he was a hard-throwing righty himself, both at the collegiate level and professionally.
The Eagles added a total of four right-handed pitchers from the transfer portal this offseason alone - Champ Davis from Wofford, Ben Cherico from Saint Louis, Matt Kouser from Northwestern, and Brayden Ryan from Maryland - and Burdi should play an instrumental role in developing them, including returners, over the winter to have them prepared for when the 2027 season arrives.
Boston College Baseball's 2026 Transfer Additions:
1. Sr. RHP Champ Davis
| 6'1" | 180 lbs. | Previous School: Wofford | Signed 06/06/2026
2. Sr. RHP Ben Cherico
| 6'4" | 205 lbs. | Previous School: Saint Louis | Signed 06/12/2026
3. JSo RHP Matt Kouser
| 6'6" | 230 lbs. | Previous School: Northwestern | Signed 06/14/2026
4. R-Jr. RHP Brayden Ryan
| 6'6" | 235 lbs. | Previous School: Maryland | Signed 06/24/2026
5. R-So. C Nick Quagliato
| 5'10" | 215 lbs. | Previous School: Fairleigh Dickinson | Signed 06/26/2026
6. So. OF Brodey Bitove
| 6'2" | 205 lbs. | Previous School: Indiana | Signed 07/20/2026
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/bostoncollege as Report: Boston College Baseball Tabs New Pitching Coach With Prior ACC, MLB Playing Experience
.
