Pirates Prospects has learned that the Pittsburgh Pirates have reached an agreement with 2011 7th round pick Jake Burnette, a right handed pitcher out of Buford High School in Georgia. Burnette’s deal is pending a physical.
Burnett is a 6′ 4″, 177 pound right handed pitcher who had a commitment to Georgia Tech. He throws in the high 80s, although his projectable frame could allow him to add velocity going forward. Aside from his fastball, he also throws a curveball and a changeup. The addition, once official, gives the Pirates 18 signings for the 2011 draft class, including six of the top ten picks so far.
UPDATE 9:09 AM Tuesday: I’m receiving more confirmation that Burnette has agreed to a deal, and that he signed the deal yesterday. I’d expect the deal to be officially announced today or tomorrow. I also received an update that he is up to 6′ 5″, 185 pounds now, and that he’s been throwing 90-91 MPH in the summer, topping out at 93.