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Commitment Spotlight- '17 Graham Burke, SS/RHP, Southwest Christian

September 27, 2016

By Rob Allison
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota

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Graham Burke 

Name: Graham Burke
Position: SS/RHP
Class: 2017
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 180-pounds
High School: Southwest Christian
PBR Rank: #118 in MN 2017 Class

Evaluation: 6/20/16- 6-foot, 180-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. Lean athletic build. Compact simple delivery. Short arm action with clean path out front. Good direction with extension and finish. Downhill fastball with solid life for strikes at 78-81 mph. Breaking ball has tight rotation with 12/6 shape. Shortens arm path on changeup with solid fade in zone. 7.3 runner. Linear hitting mechanics, consistent hard line drives, works gap to gap well, solid pop in bat, 80 mph exit velocity. Active feet in field, plays on balls of feet, solid glove, short repeatable arm action, solid accuracy to bag, 82 mph arm strength. 

PBR: Why did you choose Olivet Nazarene University? 
BURKE: I chose Olivet Nazarene University for a variety of reasons. It is a great Christian school with a strong community where I can grow in my faith. The campus is beautiful and only an hour away from both sides of my family. They have an outstanding coaching staff, and the baseball facilities are excellent. Also, the baseball program has a history of being very competitive.

PBR: What other schools were you considering? 
BURKE: University of Minnesota-Duluth, University of Mary, College of St. Scholastica, Cornerstone University, St. Johns University, Bethel University and others.

PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with them? 
BURKE: I first met the coaching staff on a visit in March. We connected a couple times over the summer and then I went back for a workout on August 5th. After that, I was positive Olivet was a great fit for me so I signed on August 9th.

PBR: Do you feel relieved now that the process is over and you can just focus on baseball and not deal with everything that goes into picking a school? 
BURKE: Yes, it is very relieving not having to worry about filling out multiple applications and getting letters of recommendation. It will be awesome to enjoy my senior year and be at peace for where I am going to college. Also, I can work hard at becoming a better player this off-season without worrying about the recruiting process.

PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top? 
BURKE: The relationships between the coaches and players. Also, the strong community of the baseball team. 

PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today? 
BURKE: My parents have helped me the most along the way. I have always appreciated their encouragement and support. They made it possible for my dream to come true and I am very thankful for that. I would also like to thank Shawn Wooten and the Hit Dawg coaching staff for developing me as a baseball player. My high school coaches, Rob Wassenaar and Tim Luther, had a big impact on where I am as a baseball player today as well.

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it easy/difficult? 
BURKE: I thought the recruiting process was going to be much more stressful then it ended up being.  Olivet was the number one school on my list and it just worked out that they wanted me to and gave me a great offer. Overall, it ended up being an easy process.

PBR: What plans does the coaching staff have in store for you in your freshman season? 
BURKE: The opportunity is there, but nothing is guaranteed. In the end, the players that Coach Reid believes will best help the team win will play. I look forward to working hard and taking advantage of every opportunity given.

PBR: What is your most memorable baseball moment to date? 
BURKE: When I was fourteen, I threw a perfect game against Chaska with twelve strikeouts.

PBR: Who is the best player that you have competed against? 
BURKE: I played against Reggie Pruitt in a tournament in Georgia. He was a Vanderbilt commit and got drafted in the 24th round of the 2015 draft. You could tell he was on a different level compared to everyone else. 

 

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