A.J. Burnett
Right-handed starter who threw a no-hitter in 2001 and won a World Series with the Yankees in 2009.
Allan James Burnett (born January 3, 1977), is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Philadelphia Phillies for 17 seasons.
- Position
- Right-handed starting pitcher
- Pirates tenure
- 2012–2013
- Prior affiliation
- New York Yankees (2009–2011)
- Earlier career
- Florida Marlins (1999–2005)
- Role in rotation
- Mid-rotation workhorse
- Status
- Retired (career concluded 2015)
Lore & Background
The New York Mets drafted Burnett in the eighth round of the 1995 MLB draft, out of Central Arkansas Christian School in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He did not sign with the Mets, and was later drafted by the Florida Marlins in 1998, making his MLB debut in 1999. Burnett recorded a no-hitter in a complete game shutout in 2001, despite walking 9 batters. He led the National League in shutouts in 2002, and the American League in strikeouts in 2008. Burnett was a member of the 2009 World Series champion Yankees. He was selected for the NL roster for the 2015 MLB All-Star Game.
In Their Own Story
The evening air off the Allegheny was cool and carrying that particular Pittsburgh damp that settles over the river after sunset. Burnett stood in the dugout tunnel, glove in hand, watching the last of the afternoon sun strip the color from the outfield grass. A young position player next to him asked, "You ever throw a ball in this park before?" Burnett nodded once, jaw working. "Yankees Park is a different beast. This one's honest. The seams tell you the truth." He flexed his fingers, felt the familiar groove of the ball, and walked toward the mound without looking back. The crowd was a murmur, not a roar — a Tuesday, a mid-rotation start, a team still figuring out who it was. But the diamond was the diamond, and the work was the work.
Reader's Guide
Burnett pitched for the Marlins from 1999 to 2005, then signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent before the 2006 season. He signed with the Yankees before the 2009 season. The Yankees traded him to the Pirates before the 2012 season. After two years in Pittsburgh, he signed with the Phillies for one season, then rejoined the Pirates for his final season.
Did You Know?
- Burnett threw the fastest fastball of all major league starters in 2002, averaging 94.9 mph.
- He threw the fastest fastball of all major league starters in 2005, averaging 95.6 mph.
- Burnett's game-worn cap and a baseball from his 2001 no-hitter are on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
More in Club History
Elsewhere in the Pittsburgh Pirates universe
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