Devin Burkes Named Preseason Top-15 Catcher
Kentucky Baseball redshirt junior catcher Devin Burkes has been named preseason top-15 nationally at the catcher position by D1Baseball. Burkes landed at No. 13 in the rankings.
Burkes, who batted .291 with a .925 OPS in 61 games last year, was unranked in last season’s Preseason Rankings. Along with his near-.300 average, Burkes slugged nine home runs, drove in 53 RBI, and finished with a .502 SLG in 2023.
Just one SEC catcher was ranked above Burkes. South Carolina’s Cole Messina claimed the overall top spot. Nine of the top-34 catchers ranked hail from the Southeastern Conference.
- Cole Messina (South Carolina)
13. Devin Burkes (Kentucky)
14. Ike Irish (Auburn)
16. Cannon Peebles (Tennessee)
23. Luke Heyman (Florida)
27. Alex Milazzo (LSU)
30. Hudson White (Arkansas)
34. Mac Guscette (Alabama)
Devin Burkes did not disappoint in his first season as Kentucky’s starting catcher. Along with solid stats, Burkes was named Co-National Player of the Week on Feb. 27, 2023 (seven doubles in weekend series vs. Wright State) and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Lexington Regional (.462 BA, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R).
Burkes flew a tad under the radar in 2023, but all eyes will be on the redshirt junior in 2024.
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