The Chicago White Sox drafted Maryland sophomore pitcher Sean Burke on Monday with the 94th overall selection in the 2021 MLB Draft, becoming the first Terp to hear his name called.
Burke, who became a Barstool Athlete earlier this month, became the Terps’ highest draft pick since Brandon Lowe was drafted 87th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2015. Burke finished his three-year Maryland career named to the preseason All-Big Ten team and named the preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. The redshirt sophomore went on to make 13 starts during the 2021 season and finished with a 3.27 ERA, good for second on the team among starting pitchers. Burke opened his 2021 season with 13 strikeouts and allowed just two sits in six innings against Michigan State. In his final performance as a Terp, Burke struck out eight batters through six innings and didn’t give up a run for the third time on the season.
The second Terp to hear his name called was Benjamin Cowles after the New York Yankees selected him in the tenth round, going 303rd overall. Cowles, a junior third baseman out of New York, was named third-team All-American by Baseball America and was selected first-team All-Big Ten following the 2021 season. Cowles started all 48 games at shortstop and led the Big Ten with 18 home runs, sitting tied for fourth-most in program history and most since 2002. Cowles homered in 12 consecutive weekend series to start the season and finished the season with a .287 batting average.
The Yankees selection marks for a homecoming for Cowles, where he’ll suit up for the same franchise that produced his childhood hero in Derek Jeter.
Burke becomes the first Terp drafted since Hunter Parsons back in 2019 after earning an invite to the MLB Draft Combine back in June.