Boston College baseball has added two new voices to its dugout, bringing in Matt Antonelli and Nick Burdi as assistant coaches.
Antonelli arrives with deep New England roots and a playing résumé that stretches from Wake Forest to the big leagues. A Peabody, Mass., native, he was taken in the first round of the 2006 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres after his college career with the Demon Deacons. He reached the majors in 2008 and later spent time in the Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and then Cleveland Indians minor league systems.
Since his playing days ended, Antonelli has built a coaching profile that has kept him around the game in a big way. He has worked with his Antonelli Baseball coaching staff on clinics and teams for young players, and his website says, "It is our mission to provide each player with the optimal opportunity to reach his full potential and advance to the next level."
Before coming to Chestnut Hill, Antonelli coached at Wake Forest, his alma mater, and also served as Recruiting Coordinator and Assistant Coach at Holy Cross.
Boston College coach Todd Interdonato said, "We are excited to welcome Matt, Laura, and their two children to the Birdball family," and pointed to Antonelli’s fit with the program’s goals. Interdonato said the staff was looking for someone who could strengthen individual offensive instruction and also understood "all that embodies Boston College and what we are building."
He added, "Matt's individual success, his coaching acumen, and deep understanding for BC and Birdball made him the perfect fit for our players and our coaching staff. His humility, knowledge of the game, connections to Birdball, and residence here in the Northeast make him an incredible advantage for us."
Burdi comes to Boston College after more than 10 years in professional baseball. Born in Hinsdale, Ill., he was drafted in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins after pitching at Louisville.
He stayed in the Twins organization until 2017, then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired him next, and he made his MLB debut in 2018.
His career also included time in the San Diego Padres minor league system before he signed with the Chicago Cubs. Burdi was called up to the Cubs’ active roster in 2023, then joined the New York Yankees and made their 2024 Opening Day roster. In 2025, he spent time with the Boston Red Sox and the Worcester Red Sox.
Burdi said, "I couldn't be more excited to join Todd [Interdonato] and his staff here at BC," and called the program "an ACC contender year after year." He also said he was eager to work with the pitching staff and bring "that same energy and commitment to Chestnut Hill. Go Eagles!"
Interdonato said the search for the pitching coach opening was wide-ranging, and that Burdi stood out because of his teaching approach and belief in the program. He said, "When we celebrated with Ryan and Kim on their new assignment to Princeton, we were looking for a coach who could continue to build on what Ryan had created on our pitching staff."
He added, "His playing career, both at Louisville and professional baseball, speaks for itself, but his ability to connect with our players and his vision for each of them individually is why he is part of Birdball. The more we got to know him and hear his plan for our staff, it became clear this was the perfect individual to take the baton and continue to push our program forward."
Interdonato also said, "We are ecstatic to welcome Nick and Becca, along with their two children to Birdball!"
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