Chicago White Sox: Jake Burger could surprise at Spring Training

Are Chicago White Sox fans sleeping on Jake Burger? With all the focus on other prospects, the 2017 first-round pick could surprise everyone at Spring Training.

There is a lot of excitement around the young core the Chicago White Sox are putting together.  While many of the White Sox’s prospects are becoming household names, one name that has flown under the radar is Jake Burger.  After Spring Training, that should no longer be the case.

Entering the 2018 season, the team looks to build around a solid foundation of Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson and Lucas Giolito, among others.

Fans have also been buzzing about studs like Eloy Jimenez, Michael Kopech, Luis Robert, and Blake Rutherford all winter.  Collectively, they represent the top four prospects in the organization.  So there should be a lot of excitement about these players.

However, Jake Burger stands poised to join this group as one of the most talked about Chicago White Sox prospects.

The White Sox made Burger one of its 22 non-roster invites to Spring Training.  In just a few days, Burger will begin Spring Training in the hopes of securing a spot on the 40-man roster.  Despite being a longshot to make the team, Burger will leave a lasting impression on Sox fans.

In three years at Missouri State University, Jake Burger batted .342, .349, and .328.  In his final season, in which he was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, he hit 22 HRs, drove in 65 runs with an OPS of 1.091.

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In short, he was absolutely dominant.

That led the White Sox to select him 11th overall In the 2017 MLB Draft.  From there, he joined the Kannapolis Intimidators, the White Sox’s Low Class-A affiliate.  In just 181 ABs, he had a slash line of .271/.335/.744 with 4 HRs and 27 RBI, showing he can hit just about anywhere.

Burger stands 6′ 2″ tall but has a surprisingly compact swing for his size, which helps him stay consistent as a hitter.

Burger stays balanced through his swing and has quick hands to the ball while also taking very short strides.  He does not load up on his backside like many right-handed power hitters but still generates a lot of power from his sheer size.  With a slight upswing, Burger also gets very good lift on contact.

Some player comparisons have been made to Hunter Pence or Kevin Youkilis.  However, there is also a little bit of Edwin Encarnacion in Burger’s swing.

In terms of weaknesses, there is nothing glaring.

Some detractors have pointed to his stocky build, though that is nothing a strong offseason program cannot quickly fix.  The fact that he lacks any substantial weaknesses could help him join the big league club faster than anticipated.

As far as position goes, Burger currently projects to be a third baseman.  Although the Sox already have Matt Davidson plugged in at third base, they do have some flexibility.  At least initially, Burger could platoon with Davidson to give him an occasional day off.

Long-term, Burger could slide over to first base if the White Sox choose to convert Abreu to a full-time DH.  Some have even speculated a position change for Burger could be in his future.

Next: Bold predictions for White Sox spring training

Either way, Jake Burger will take the field at Spring Training in just a few days as a relative unknown.  However, by the time he leaves Camelback Ranch, Chicago White Sox fans will be counting down the days until September call-ups.