Cleveland Baseball Insider's 2023 Guardians Top 50 Prospects, No. 49 OF Jorge Burgos
As the future of the organization prepares for a new year and spring training to begin, there’s no better time to bring you the Cleveland Baseball Insiders top 50 prospects for the upcoming 2023 season.
As a side note I have included links at the bottom of the article to our 2022 Guardians pre-season top 50 prospects rankings.
The Guardians are widely regarded as having one of the deepest and top farm systems in all of baseball. So deep, in fact, that it was very difficult to trim the list down to just 50 players I think could have an impact at the MLB level. I probably could easily have ended up listing 75 or more players.
I am implementing the Fangraphs future value grading scale which you will be able to locate under each player video. Future Value is a grade on the 20-80 scale that maps to anticipated annual WAR production during the player’s first six years of service.
My rankings are based off seeing the players live, watching video and having conversations with other evaluators and writers. While prospect lists are fun and entertaining for fans, they are not an end-all-be-all in terms of who make it eventually to the major leagues. Remember, Jose Ramirez was never a top 100 prospect nationally and Oscar Gonzalez wasn't even a top 20 prospect in the Guardians organization.
The ultimate goal here is to inform our readers and give you information on some of the young talent in the organization that they can follow and look forward to seeing in the future at the MLB level.
No. 49 Jorge Burgos - OF
2022 Stats
Bio
Burgos signed with Cleveland as an international free agent back in 2019 out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela. At the time he was not considered a high impact international signing and has come on as a bit of a sleeper within the system. Burgos really exploded onto the scene in 2021, splitting time in the Arizona Rookie League and with Low-A Lynchburg. Before his promotion to Lynchburg, he was leading the ACL with a .353 average over 31 games with a .924 OPS. He finished the season hitting .293 over his final 23 games of the season at Lynchburg.
2022 Season
Burgos led Low-A Lynchburg this season in hits (110), RBI's (66) and average at .278 over 105 games played. Over his final 60 games on the season, he hit .290 with a .377 on base percentage. His .278 average was tied for second best amongst all qualified batters in the Guardians system only trailing OF Will Brennan. While his 368 on-base percentage was good for seventh best in the farm system.
Scouting Report
Burgos uses the whole field and along with his mature approach and high contact rate that helps him hit for a higher average. Currently he displays gap power, and his overall power projection may be his only weakness in his hit tool. Still just only 20 years of age and with his 6'0 frame he still has time and ability to add more power to his profile.
Burgos has average to above average speed but has an above average baseball IQ which helps him on the base paths. He has just an average arm on defense but has the ability to play all three outfield positions starting 64 games in right field, 19 games in center field and 16 games in right field during the 2022 season.
2023 and Future Outlook
Burgos should start the 2023 season with High-A Lake County with a chance for a promotion to Double-A Akron later in the season. Burgos ceiling in the future could be an average MLB regular at a corner outfield position or a 4th outfielder.
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