Darien Alum Returns to Home State to Continue Pro Baseball Career

NEW BRITAIN, CT — Former Darien High School baseball standout Devin Burke has re-signed to pitch a second season for the New Britain Bees of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, marking his sixth year of pro ball.

The 28-year-old right-hander, a 2009 Darien graduate who pitched a year at Duke University and two years at Virginia Tech, appeared in 24 games for the Bees in 2018, including nine starts. He posted a 4-2 record with a 4.14 earned run average.

As a high school senior, Burke led the Blue Wave to the Class L semifinals, posting a 1.75 ERA with 104 strikeouts and just 18 walks in 64 innings of work. In three years at Darien, he won 17 games and recorded 307 strikeouts in 213 innings, with a 2.03 career ERA.

He struggled during his tenure at Duke, then after sitting out a year and transferring to Virginia Tech, he had a sparkling senior season, notching an 11-3 record with a 3.11 ERA. He was one of 46 semifinalists for the Gregg Olson award, named for the 1989 American League Rookie of the Year and 1990 All-Star with the Baltimore Orioles who pitched for 10 major league teams in a 14-year big league career. The award is presented annually to college baseball's breakout player.

Following his senior year with the Hokies, Burke was not drafted by any major league teams, but was immediately signed as a free agent by the Colorado Rockies and assigned to their rookie league team in Grand Junction, Colo.

He pitched four seasons in the Rockies' farm system, reaching as high as the Triple-A level on two occasions, but was released following the 2016 campaign. He won 18 games with a 4.31 ERA in 92 minor league outings, including 46 starts.

Burke will wear No. 17 in his second stint with the Bees.

(New Britain Bees)