Fantasy baseball owners should take a look a Jake Burger

If you’re not in the mood for a hamburger after reading this, you might be a vegan — even though this has about as much to do with food as a colonoscopy. Now you know what I’ve been craving since making Jake Burger the topic for this week’s column (the burger, not the colonoscopy).

Burger started the 2023 season with the White Sox, the team that made him a first-round choice in 2017.

Though he broke out with his power numbers, blasting 25 homers and driving in 52 runs in his first 88 games, his .214 average and 102 strikeouts in 323 plate appearances looked more like an impression of Adam Dunn.

During that span, he had the sixth-highest strikeout rate and the fifth-worst on-base percentage among players with a minimum of 300 plate appearances. 

In August, however, Burger was surprisingly traded (he’s controllable for another five years) to Miami, and that’s where his season really got interesting.

In 53 games with the Marlins, he raised his average from .214 to .250 after hitting .303 with nine homers, 28 RBIs, 27 runs and a .850 OPS.

Yes, there was a noticeable decrease in his power production. He went from hitting a dinger in 7.7 percent of his at-bats to just 4.2 percent. Sure, the new ballpark could have been a factor — Guaranteed Rate Field is a homer haven for righties, loanDepot park not so much — but there’s more to it than just the venue.  

Burger slashed his strikeout rate from 31.6 with the White Sox to 21.7 percent with the Marlins (which actually started in his final month in Chicago when he reduced his strikeout rate by more than 5 percent).

His contact rate increased by nearly 4 percent, and his zone contact rate went up almost 5 percent. His line drive rate improved by almost 6 percent, and his flyball rate dropped by almost 8 percent.

Does this mean Burger is now a contact hitter and his power is gone? Not at all, his power is legit. 

According to Statcast, Burger ranked in the top 1 percent of the league (seventh overall) in maximum exit velocity (118.2 mph).

His 91.9 mph average exit velocity ranked 25th, and his hard-hit rate (49.6 percent) was 24th. His barrels per plate appearance percentage (10.7) ranked seventh, and his flyball/line drive exit velocity (97.8 mph) was sixth. 

Do not doubt his power! 

You should, however, doubt his .303 average after the trade. His .354 BABIP indicates luck was on his side, so it’s more likely he will hit closer to the .250 mark he finished the season with (he’s a career .251 hitter).

There’s more to love about Burger.

He has a great chance to be Miami’s cleanup hitter (or, at the very least, hit in the middle of the order), which should provide plenty of RBI opportunities.

He hit .282 with four homers and 10 RBIs when hitting third last year, .320 when hitting fourth and .275 with 11 homers, 27 RBIs and a .942 OPS when hitting fifth.

Perhaps the best thing about Burger is his 161.88 average draft position, according to Fantasy Alarm. He is being drafted about 90 spots below Alex Bregman (77.25) — who hit .262 with 25 homers, 98 RBIs, 103 runs and a .804 OPS — and more than 70 slots below Nolan Arenado (89.33) — who hit .266 with 26 homers, 93 RBIs, 71 runs and a .774 OPS. 

Over 141 games last year, Burger hit .250 with 34 homers, 80 RBIs, 71 runs and a .806 OPS. If you miss out on top third basemen, — like Jose Ramirez, Austin Riley, Rafael Devers, Gunnar Henderson or Royce Lewis — there’s no reason to settle for players like Bregman or Arenado when you can have similar production from a player seven or eight rounds later. 

Tasty Burger! Sorry, meant to say: Target Burger! 

Guide to Insanity

Draft preview special

Part 3 of 5

Roto Rage Jarad Wilk ranks corner infielders. Next week: starting pitchers.

First base

1. Freddie Freeman, LAD

2. Matt Olson, Atl

3. Bryce Harper, Phi

4. Pete Alonso, NYM

5. Vladimir Guerrero, Tor

6. Paul Goldschmidt, StL

7. Christian Walker, Ari

8. Cody Bellinger, ChC

9. Triston Casas, Bos

10. Josh Naylor, Cle

11. Spencer Steer, Cin

12. Nathaniel Lowe, Tex

13. Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cin

14. Spencer Torkelson, Det

15. Yandy Diaz, RB

16. Alex Bohm, Phi

17. Nolan Jones, Col

18. Vinnie Pasquantino, KC

19. Ryan Mountcastle, Bal

20. Salvador Perez, KC

21. Anthony Santander, Bal

22. Josh Bell, Mia

23. Rhys Hoskins, Mil

24. Jose Abreu, Hou

25. Justin Turner, Tor

26. Brandon Drury, LAA

27. Ty France, Sea

28. Luis Arraez, Mia

29. Anthony Rizzo, NYY

30. Jeimer Candelario, Cin

31. Alex Kirilloff, Min

32. Joey Meneses, Was

33. Andrew Vaughn, CWS

34. Ryan Noda, Oak

35. Isaac Paredes, TB

36. Mark Canha, Det

37. Luke Raley, Sea

38. Kyle Manzardo, Cle

39. Elehuris Montero, Col

40. Carlos Santana, Min

41. C.J. Cron, FA

42. Patrick Wisdom, ChC

43. Wilmer Flores, SF

44. Jake Cronenworth, SD

45. LaMonte Wade, SF

46. Mark Vientos, NYM

47. Kike Hernandez, LAD

48. J.D. Davis, SF

49. Nolan Schanuel, LAA

50. Seth Brown, Oak

51. Garrett Cooper, FA

52. Brandon Belt, FA

53. Gio Urshela, Det

54. Joey Gallo, Was

55. Ramon Urias, Bal

Third base

1. Jose Ramirez, Cle

2. Austin Riley, Atl

3. Rafel Devers, Bos

4. Gunnar Henderson, Bal

5. Royce Lewis, Min

6. Manny Machado, SD

7. Elly De La Cruz, Cin

8. Josh Jung, Tex

9. Alex Bregman, Hou

10. Nolan Arenado, StL

11. Jake Burger, Mia

12. Spencer Steer, Cin

13. Nolan Gorman, StL

14. Noelvi Marte, Cin

15. Ha-Seong Kim, SD

16. Max Muncy, LAD

17. Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pit

18. Elehuris Montero, Col

19. Jordan Westburg, Bal

20. Junior Caminero, TB

21. Maikel Garcia, KC

22. Alex Bohm, Phi

23. Jorge Polanco, Sea

24. Matt Chapman, SF

25. Ryan McMahon, Col

26. Jeimer Candelario, Cin

27. Eugenio Suarez, Ari

28. Wilmer Flores, SF

29. Luis Rengifo, LAA

30. Chris Taylor, LAD

31. Isaac Paredes, TB

32. Jared Triolo, Pit

33. Patrick Wisdom, ChC

34. Geraldo Perdomo, Ari

35. DJ LeMahieu, NYY

36. Jon Berti, Mia

37. Josh Rojas, Sea

38. Bretty Baty, NYM

39. Willi Castro, Min

40. Mark Vientos, NYM

41. Curtis Mead, TB

42. Yoan Moncada, CWS

43. J.D. Davis, SF

44. Kike Hernandez, LAD

45. Zach McKinstry, Det

46. Jordan Diaz, Oak

47. Gio Urshela, Det

48. Luis Urias, Sea

49. Ramon Urias, Bal

50. Andruw Monasterio, Mil

51. Nicky Lopez, CWS

52. Matt Vierling, Det

53. Jean Segura, Cle

54. Michael Busch, ChC

55. Kyle Farmer, Min

Team Name of the Week

Vaughn in 60 Seconds