The Pittsburgh Pirates today signed right-handed pitcher Jake Burnette, the club’s seventh round se-lection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.
Burnette went 8-0 with six complete games, one save, a 1.71 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 57.0 innings pitched this past year while leading Buford (GA) High School to a state title. Burnette was also named to the 2011 Rawlings/Perfect Game Southeast Region – All High Schools Senior Second Team and was a Rawlings/Perfect Game High School Senior preseason All-American Honorable Mention. Entering 2011 the 6-foot-4 Burnette was also rated as the 18th-best player in the state of Georgia available in the draft according to Baseball America.
As a junior Burnette went 3-1 with a 3.16 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 24.1 innings pitched. He also played for Junior Team Georgia, was a East Coast Pro Showcase and Perfect Game National Showcase participant and a Rawlings Underclass Honorable Mention.
The Pirates have now signed 18 players from this year’s Draft, including six of their top 10 selections.
Burnette throws 88 mph with a good soft curveball and is expected to add velocity as his 6-foot-4, 180-pound frame fills out.

Burnette was 8-0 with a 1.72 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 57 innings and Holmes went 6-2 with a 2.06 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings.