Jake Burger and Yoelqui Cespedes were named Wednesday to represent the White Sox at the AL Futures Game during All-Star week in Denver next month.
For Burger, it’s just another achievement notched along an uplifting comeback trail. A first-round draft pick in 2017, Burger suffered a ruptured Achilles during a spring training game in 2018, reinjured the Achilles while at home, missed two seasons, was open about a battle with anxiety and depression and climbed his way back to being a healthy, productive power hitting infielder who is batting .317/.365/.593 at Triple-A Charlotte. Burger might be close to his first taste of the major leagues.
Burger went 4-for-4 with a homer, double, two walks and two RBI for the Knights in a 5-4 win in 13 innings over the Tidewater Tides on Tuesday night. He has a team-high 10 homers (tied with Tim Beckham) and leads the Knights with 35 RBI.
A third baseman, Burger has been getting reps at second base in recent weeks as the Sox look to expand his versatility.
“The exciting thing is he’s moved past to it’s a good story to, ‘hey I’m trying to get to the big leagues,’ ’’ said Gavin Sheets, Burger’s teammate at Charlotte who made his major league debut with two hits in a 7-6 win over the Twins on Tuesday. “That’s been a fun transition. In the beginning he was getting his feet wet, excited to be back and playing but now it’s ‘I want to get to the big leagues, I’m swinging the bat well.’ It’s fun to watch him do that.”
Burger hits to all fields and makes hard contact.
“Just how hard he hits the ball,” Sheets said when asked what impresses him about Burger’s bat. “He’s a big, strong guy with big forearms and he hits the ball hard, really hard. We hit 3-4 so I’ve had a front row seat this whole season with it. And great teammate, great person and it’s been fun to watch.”
The Sox signed Cespedes, 23, to a $2.05 million signing bonus in January. The brother of Yoenis Cespedes, he was ranked as the top international prospect at the time. Visa issues delayed his start with an affiliate this season. At High-A Winston Salem he’s batting .216/.341/.378 in nine games.
The Futures Game, which began in 1999, features the top minor league prospects competing on All-Star Sunday, matching American League vs. National League prospects in a seven-inning game. Former Rockies third baseman Vinny Castilla will manage the NL Futures Team, while former reliever LaTroy Hawkins leads the AL Futures Team.
