5 Collegiate Hitters to Know for the 2017 MLB Draft
Jake Burger, 3B, Missouri State
MLB.com Rank: 16th | Baseball America Rank: 20th
Shockingly, other schools outside of Virginia do participate in the beautiful activity that is college baseball. And one of those schools has a dude with stupid pop in Jake Burger.
Burger finished the year just seventh in home runs with a modest 22. The word "just" was included because as a sophomore, Burger was tied for second with 21 dingers. That's the kind of long-ball potential you need from a corner infielder.
Although both Burger's slugging percentage and isolated slugging declined in his 2017 junior season, he made big strides in his plate discipline. Check out the shifts in his walk and strikeout rates this year, helping solidify his inclusion on this list.
| Season | Isolated Slugging | Strikeout Rate | Walk Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.340 | 13.0% | 8.6% |
| 2017 | 0.324 | 12.6% | 14.0% |
To have both your walk rate and strikeout rate improve while losing very little power is commendable, and it certainly ups Burger's appeal. If the power alone wasn't enough, this should sweeten his profile with scouts.
Burger's listed as a third baseman, but Law notes he's likely to shift across the diamond at some point. Still, with these power numbers in back to back seasons, it's easy to see why Burger may wind up being the first player from Missouri State to ever go in the first round.
