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Jake Burger

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Jake Burger
Burger with the White Sox in 2023
Texas Rangers
Third baseman, First baseman
Born: (1996-04-10) April 10, 1996 (age 28)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 2, 2021, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.250
Home runs68
Runs batted in168
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Jacob Michael Burger (born April 10, 1996) is an American professional baseball third baseman and first baseman for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins.

Burger played college baseball at Missouri State University. He was drafted by the White Sox in the first round of the 2017 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2021. The White Sox traded Burger to the Marlins at the 2023 trade deadline, and the Marlins traded him to the Rangers during the 2024 Winter Meetings.

Amateur career

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Burger attended Christian Brothers College High School in Town and Country, Missouri. He was not drafted out of high school and played college baseball at Missouri State University for the Missouri State Bears. As a freshman, he played in 57 games, hitting .342/.390/.518 with four home runs and 42 runs batted in (RBIs) and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year.[1] As a sophomore in 2016, Burger hit .349/.420/.689 with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs over 56 games.[2][3][4] After the season, he played for the United States collegiate national team.[5] As a junior in 2017, he batted .328 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs[6] and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.[7]

Professional career

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Chicago White Sox

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Burger was considered one of the top prospects for the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[8] The Chicago White Sox selected him in the first round, with the 11th overall selection. He signed, and was assigned to the Arizona League White Sox.[9] He was promoted to the Kannapolis Intimidators after four games. He finished 2017 with a .263 batting average, five home runs, and 29 RBIs in 51 games between both clubs.[10]

Burger was invited to 2018 spring training by the White Sox. On February 26, he suffered a ruptured achilles tendon in his left leg, and was ruled out for the entire 2018 season on February 27.[11] In 2019, he missed time during the season due to a bruised heel.[12]

In 2020, Burger participated in the CarShield Collegiate league, a collegiate summer league in O'Fallon, Missouri, because there was no minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was his first time playing competitive baseball since 2017.[13] When the summer league ended, Burger was invited to the White Sox alternate training site.[14]

On November 20, 2020, Burger was added to the 40-man roster.[15] He was assigned to Triple-A Charlotte Knights to begin the 2021 season. Following a season-ending injury to Nick Madrigal, Burger began taking reps at second base in Charlotte.[16] In June 2021, Burger was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game.[17] On July 2, after hitting .322 in Charlotte, Burger was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[18] He made his MLB debut that day as the starting third baseman against the Detroit Tigers. In the game, he also notched his first career hit, a double off of Tigers reliever Erasmo Ramírez. On July 17, Burger hit his first career home run, a two-run shot off of Houston Astros pitcher Austin Pruitt.

In 2022, Burger was added to the White Sox Opening Day roster and played third base for Yoán Moncada who was injured. Burger played in 21 games with a .239 average hitting two home runs and seven RBIs before he was sent back to Triple-A on May 9 when Moncada was activated.[19]

Burger began the 2023 season with Charlotte. The White Sox promoted him to the major leagues on April 5 when Eloy Jiménez went on the injured list.[20] With Moncada seeing regular playing time at third base and Jiménez being used as the main designated hitter, Burger began getting reps at second base.[21] On June 4, Burger hit a walk-off grand slam against the Detroit Tigers.[22]

Miami Marlins

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On August 1, 2023, the White Sox traded Burger to the Miami Marlins in exchange for pitching prospect Jake Eder.[23] In 53 games for Miami, he batted .303/.355/.505 with nine home runs and 28 RBI.

Over the remainder of 2023 and into 2024, the Marlins began to increasingly play him at first base, while still using him at third base and DH, but no longer using him at second base.[24] Burger made 137 appearances for the Marlins in 2024, slashing .250/.301/.460 with 29 home runs and 76 RBI.[25]

Texas Rangers

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On December 11, 2024, the Marlins traded Burger to the Texas Rangers in exchange for prospects Echedry Vargas, Max Acosta, and Brayan Mendoza.[26]

References

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  1. ^ Scranton, Lyndal. "Old buddies give baseball Bears' offense a needed boost". Springfield News-Leader.
  2. ^ "College Baseball Rankings, Scouting Reports And Analysis". www.baseballamerica.com.
  3. ^ Connell, Jim. "Jake Burger has a big-time future, but he's focusing on the present for Missouri State baseball". Springfield News-Leader.
  4. ^ Frederickson, Ben (March 15, 2017). "Power surge by CBC grad Burger energizes Missouri State".
  5. ^ Burger, Rance. "Bears slugger Jake Burger drives runs for Team USA, seeks shelter from typhoon". Springfield News-Leader.
  6. ^ "MSU slugger Jake Burger signs $3.7 million contract with Chicago White Sox". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  7. ^ "Jake Burger named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year". O-zarks Sports Zone. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  8. ^ Post-Dispatch, Steve Eighinger Special to the (April 22, 2016). "Area college athletes: Missouri State's Burger getting raves".
  9. ^ "White Sox select Jake Burger in Draft". M.whitesox.mlb.com. June 13, 2017. Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  10. ^ "Jake Burger Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  11. ^ Justice, Richard (February 27, 2018). "White Sox prospect Burger out for season". MLB.com. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  12. ^ "Former Missouri State star Jake Burger's White Sox season in jeopardy". News-leader.com. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  13. ^ Merkin, Scott (July 14, 2020). "Burger to play in collegiate league". mlb.com. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  14. ^ Ballantini, Brett (August 24, 2020). "From Schaumburg (and the CarShield Collegiate League): Jake Burger". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  15. ^ Steve Adams (November 20, 2020). "White Sox Claim Emilio Vargas, Add Three Others To 40-Man Roster". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  16. ^ Steve Adams (June 21, 2021). "AL Central Notes: Civale, Buxton, Duran, Burger". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  17. ^ "2021 Futures Game rosters". Mlb.com. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  18. ^ Steve Adams (July 2, 2021). "White Sox Promote Jake Burger, Option Yermin Mercedes". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  19. ^ "Chicago White Sox activate third baseman Yoan Moncada, reliever Joe Kelly". May 9, 2022.
  20. ^ "White Sox place Eloy Jiménez on 10-Day IL, recall Burger". April 5, 2023.
  21. ^ "White Sox's Jake Burger: Playing second base possible". cbssports.com. May 23, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  22. ^ "Burger grand, Hendriks perfect in walk-off win to cap sweep". mlb.com. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  23. ^ De Nicola, Christina. "Marlins trade for White Sox INF/DH Jake Burger". MLB.com.
  24. ^ "Jake Burger Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More".
  25. ^ "Rangers get slugging corner infielder Jake Burger from Marlins for prospects and sign a reliever". apnews.com. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  26. ^ "Rangers beef up batting order with trade for slugging Burger". mlb.com. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
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