Blake Burke

School: Tennessee
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.1
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 60. Run: 30. Field: 40. Arm: 40.

Burke is a physical 6-foot-3, 236-pound first baseman with some of the most impressive raw power in the country. He homered 14 times as a freshman with Tennessee despite a 30% strikeout rate but cut that mark significantly over his next two seasons. He finished his career as a .331/.422/.654 hitter in the middle of a consistently strong Tennessee lineup. For a large, slugging lefthanded hitter with a history of strikeout questions, Burke actually makes plenty of contact. He steadily improved his bat-to-ball skills versus secondary pitches and as a junior posted a strong 84% overall contact rate. He is an overly aggressive hitter who will expand the zone too much but has done enough damage with a fast and powerful uppercut swing to make it work in the Southeastern Conference. Burke has 70-grade raw power and enough strength to homer to all fields. He has some of the best top-end exit velocity in the class, but he’s mostly a pull hitter who figures to be a power-over-hit player in pro ball. He’ll need to hit for plenty of impact because he’s a well below-average runner who will be limited to first base and offer little defensive value. Despite a bat-only profile, Burke’s hit and power tools could be loud enough to make him a day one selection.