White Sox third base prospect Jake Burger didn’t play at all last year after tearing his left Achilles tendon twice, once in February and again in May. It turns out Burger will also miss this season, owing in part to a bruised left heel, general manager Rick Hahn told James Fegan of The Athletic and other reporters Friday.
The Burger news adds to a vicious week on the injury front for the White Sox, who also ruled injured pitchers Ryan Burr, Jimmy Lambert, Ian Hamilton and Zack Burdi out for the season Friday.
Like Burdi (No. 26, 2016), Burger joined the organization as a recent first-round pick. The White Sox selected Burger 11th overall in 2017 and then inked him for $3.7MM – almost $500K below slot – with the hope the ex-Missouri State standout would lock down third on the South Side for the foreseeable future.
The 23-year-old Burger could still emerge as a long-term building block in Chicago despite this injury-stunted start to his career. It may not happen at third, though, as Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs noted back in April he looked like a questionable fit for the position even before this awful run of left leg troubles. Nevertheless, McDaniel and Longenhagen ranked Burger 12th among the White Sox’s prospects and credited him with possessing a “sizable ceiling.” The Sox are hoping Burger will return for Arizona Fall League action this year and finally start showing off his potential in real games again.
Get well Jake, show us what you can do.
It sucks to have any prospect stall (or fade away) due to injury, but it hurts much more when they are a first round pick.
Man, what a tough break for Burger and the White Sox…Burger came out of college looking like a potential building block for their future as a CI/CO…However now, with these injuries, it’s very likely that Burger might end up coming back as a DH/1B. If he’s not able to move back to 3B, then that’s going to def. put a lot more emphasis on his offensive success to live up to his potential. Tough, tough break for this young man, and I certainly hope he’s able to come back for the AFL and come back strong.
For the White Sox, this news lately has been pretty dang unfortunate…Burr, Burdi, and Hamilton all three look like solid, reliable pieces for their bullpen, even though they have all had shaky debuts and 2019 seasons. If they can all come back healthy, they could certainly be a fixture in the 7th/8th innings for the Sox future pen..That’s the case especially for Hamilton, who has consistently improved at every level climbing up the ladder. Hamilton has been used as a closer through the ranks, but I think he will likely serve as a high leverage set-up man once he comes back healthy. Burdi has recently finished several games at the AAA level, and he did have some success getting guys to swing and miss, but he still struggled with his command. So, Burdi, while having probably the best raw stuff of the three, he’s certainly not as polished as Hamilton.
Either way, come next season and especially after next season, I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see Burr, Burdi, and Hamilton all racking up several Holds for the ChiSox. Even though these are not really high ceiling relief prospects, all three are all still very promising future members of the Sox pen.
Lambert looked pretty solid getting up to AA last season, but this season he really wasn’t able to sustain that success nor build upon it. Hopefully, after he’s able to get healthy, Lambert can come back, and at the very least, be a serviceable #4/#5 starter for the Sox..
Overall, these injuries really only effect the development of their future bullpen at the ML level, so it could certainly be worse. Thats the case especially considering all their other very promising prospects they have up and down throughout their minor league squads..
Love it brother
I agree with pretty much all you said, but Burdi was definitely an elite relief prospect before his many, many injuries. That family and the White Sox cannot catch a break right now.
At least his brother Nick has played in the majors.
Burdi boys, threw too hard, too young. Who didnt see this coming?
True.
I wish I was surprised by this news. Fantastic.
The scouting reports and pictures of Burger that I’ve seen – don’t suggest he had the skill nor the athleticism to likely play third, much less corner OF.
First thing Sox should have done is get him in Jenny Craig.
Dude. Really? God it’s like you were born to hate the White Sox.
@Dogbone
Yes, because the weight issue is what kept Babe Ruth from ever becoming a star.
And don’t even bother with the lame post that I’m comparing the two, because anyone with a functioning brain can see that is not the case.
Jake Burger did lose weight prior to his injury. And gained muscle. In fact, his workout regiment probably contributed to his injury, because he added too much dense weight too fast, which stressed the ligaments.
I’m starting to wonder if this is a system wide approach in strength training that is resulting in many of these injuries. They could all suffer from programs that ask them to add too much muscle, or overworks ligaments. It should be explored.
Dude needs to lay off the Burgers
A little sunshine with the less touted talent in the minors. LHP Kubat (mini-Buehrle) another 7ip/2er outing for Charlotte. He’s as ready as Cease to come up and doesn’t walk guys. Disclosure not a Collins fan (hope he’s ultimately an appealing trade piece to some club), but pudgy DH/also not so strong def catcher Mercedes from DRep continues hitting at every level. Some unhyped guys like this are just good ballplayers.
Coincidence perhaps, but ever since Madrigal was promoted to AA, Rutherford who played with him last year has suddenly become a hit machine after struggling all season.
Re-evaluate scouting, traing and medical staffs top to bottom. Too many injuries, too many repeat injuries and too many uneven returns from injury.
Forget it, Jake. It’s ChiTown.
As a fan, I’m planning on the Sox future without Burger and Burdi until either can prove they can stay healthy. If either/both can and become good/great players, that would be awesome, but until either do, I’m personally going forward without planning for them in the Sox future. I’m leaning toward putting Adolfo on that list also, but he’s younger than the other two.
I’d say Rodon also, but he’ll be gone anyway after ’21. No chance of trading him before then and getting much of value in return, and no chance of extending him since he’s a Boras client.
It still doesn’t dampen the future of the team. Some prospects were going to bust anyway (ex. Fulmer). The future still looks bright, even for next year, and especially ’21 on.
I agree. If we plan without them then not having them won’t hurt as much. I think our closer of the future is Tyler Johnson anyway.
Yeah, they’re still set up nice despite injuries/higher probability early draft busts.
IF: Moncada, TA, Madrigal, Vaughn, McCann extension
OF/DH: Eloy, Robert and healthy competition among Walker/Basabe/Rutherford/Gonzalez/Mercedes
SP: Giolito, Cease, Kubat, Kopech cross fingers, FA signing
Lopez/Dunning/Rodon depth for injuries or others being shaky
I like most of that. Especially the McCann extension. I like Walker more than Rutherford. I think this month has been a hot flute. You don’t believe Rodon can stay in the rotation at this level?
Rodon I mentioned only as depth due to TJ recovery heading into 2020 and just being an inconsistent tease even when healthy. They need to mentally stop counting on him and treat him as a bonus despite where he was drafted. Liked the 83Sox summary of him above.
Nice thing about OF is all those other guys are lefty or switch hitters and have to “earn” their spots. Some no doubt will be potential trade pieces for veteran SP or bullpen help as Hahn sees fit……along with Hansen/Adolfo/Ruiz/Vieria/Collins “look the part” guys that need molding.
That’s a lot of projection. Nothing the second-tier OF’s have done suggests they are solutions, and let’s slow down on the Kubat train. He’s and older prospect who has had two starts in Charlotte.