One of my favorite players on this list, Jacob Burke has risen on this list significantly over the last season. The 11th-round pick out of the University of Miami in 2022 has outperformed his draft stock significantly. He has moved quickly through the system so far and he should be starting in Birmingham next year.
The scouting grades on MLB grade him out as an average hitter with below-average power. They really like his speed, as they grade him above average. They are not a fan of his arm, as they grade that below average, but they like his fielding, as they have that above average. The grades seem to put him in the 4th outfielder range of abilities, but with his performances, I think he could potentially be better than that.
In his first taste of rookie ball in Arizona, he hit very well. He would hit .333 with an impressive .455 on-base percentage, hitting one homerun with two RBIs. He would walk three times and strike out four times. The Sox clearly saw enough of Burke there as they promoted Burke to Kannapolis only after five games.
In his limited time at Kannapolis in his first minor league season, Burke would hit .269 there with a .380 OBP. Over 22 games he would hit one home run and provide 12 runs batted in. He would walk six times while adding four stolen bases. For an 11th-round pick in his first taste of minor league baseball, the 2022 season was very successful.
2023 would be even more successful for Burke, as he would have an extremely long on-base streak. He would get on base an impressive 52 games in a row. That is absolutely absurd, and it shows he provides value when he is in the lineup no matter what. If he doesn’t get a hit, he finds a way to get on base. This is the new era of players the White Sox need to tap into.
Besides his impressive on-base streak, he would hit .315 at Kannapolis with a .416 OBP. He added four home runs and 22 RBIs, and after 35 games the Sox had seen enough, and they promoted him to High-A Winston-Salem.
In Winston-Salem, he would slow down just a bit, as he still posted an impressive .281 average with a .377 OBP. He would add two homers and 18 RBIs over 50 games. He is not the most powerful hitter, but he added 19 stolen bases between the two levels, so his speed makes up for it.
Overall, you have to give Burke an A for the 2023 season, especially because of his 52-game on-base streak. He is a nice contact hitter that has some great speed to go with it. He also is very sure-handed in the outfield and had some insane catches this year. Since he was a college bat, he could push to be up in the upper minors this year and hopefully push some guys for a spot on the Sox roster sooner rather than later.
