Jake Burger | 3B
Background
The 21-year-old Burger is a St. Louis kid who went undrafted out of high school, but has since developed into one of the top power hitters in the country at Missouri State. He is currently hitting .346/.459/.693 with 20 home runs and more walks (38) than strikeouts (30) in 52 games this season, and he’s a career .346/.423/.632 with 45 homers in 165 college games.
Scouting Report
Burger is a right-handed hitter with big power potential that he generates with both bat speed and raw strength. He knows the strike zone well and is capable of making adjustments mid-at-bat because he understands how pitchers are trying to attack him. There are two knocks on Burger. One, his defense. He has good hands at the hot corner but limited range and an average best arm. To his credit, Burger works hard at his defense, but odds are he’ll wind up at first base long-term. And two, he has a bit of a hitch in his swing, which creates some concern about how he’ll handle advanced pro pitching.
Miscellany
In their latest rankings MLB.com ranked Burger as the 16th best prospect in the draft class, Baseball America ranked him 19th, and Keith Law (subs. req’d) ranked him 24th. The Yankees hold the 16th overall pick. Under scouting director Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees have selected a few big bat/questionable glove college mashers high in the draft (Eric Jagielo, Peter O’Brien, etc.), though it is definitely not their go-to demographic. Burger could be someone they target if they decide to go heavy on offense and believe he can move quickly.
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