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The Gateway Grizzlies announce that they have signed left-handed pitcher Donovan Burke and right-hander Sam Rochard for the upcoming 2025 season, adding two rookies who displayed outstanding command in college to their staff.
Burke comes to Gateway from at James Madison University, where he was primarily a starting pitcher in the Dukes’ rotation. In 20 appearances with 14 starts last year, the lefty from Leesburg, Virginia went 7-2 with a 4.67 ERA, striking out 72 and walking just 26 in 94 1/3 innings as a graduate student. It capped a remarkable rise for Burke in his five-year college career, as he initially joined the program as a “walk-on” before working his way into a featured role on the mound.
Rochard joins the Grizzlies from NAIA powerhouse Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he was teammates with current Grizzlies reliever Gage Vailes for the last two seasons. In 18 games with 12 starts in 2024, Rochard had a 7-3 record with a 4.41 ERA, 79 strikeouts, and just 21 walks in 81 2/3 innings as a senior for the Bulldogs. In 2023, the Williamsburg, Virginia native went 6-1 with a 4.13 ERA, striking out 70 batters in 56 2/3 innings while issuing just 15 walks for the year.
