Levi Jared Burton (born June 2, 1981) is an American former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, who attempts to e ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...

for the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

and

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area ...

Early life

Burton was born in

Westminster, South Carolina Westminster is a city in Oconee County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,418 at the 2010 census. History Westminster was founded in 1874 upon completion of the Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railway and incorporated on March 17 ...

. He graduated from

West-Oak High School West-Oak High School was created by the consolidation of Oakway and Westminster High Schools. The school serves students from approximately one-half of the land area in Oconee County, South Carolina. Both Oakway and Westminster schools had been ...

in Westminster. He attended

Western Carolina University Western Carolina University (WCU) is a public university in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. The fifth oldest institution of the sixteen four-year universities in the UNC system, WCU was founded t ...

in Cullowhee, North Carolina. He was originally selected by the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The t ...

in the eighth round of the

2002 Major League Baseball draft The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5. It is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book ''Moneyball''. First round selections Supplemental first round compensation selections * ...

. After spending five years in the Athletics minor league system, he became eligible for the 2006 Rule 5 draft. He was selected in the Rule 5 draft by the Cincinnati Reds. Burton has spent three years in Cincinnati which has included 132 appearances and 138

inning In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other tea ...

s pitched as a reliever.

Professional career

Oakland Athletics

The

selected Burton out of

in the eighth round of the

. He lost his remaining eligibility at Western Carolina by signing with Oakland on June 12, 2002. The A's sent him to their

Single-A Class A, also known as Single-A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A, Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams classified at the Single-A level, one for eac ...

affiliate, the

Vancouver Canadians The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium ...

. With Vancouver he had a 0–4 win–loss record with a 3.58

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the numb ...

(ERA) in 13 games. He followed up his 2002 season with 15 appearances for the

Kane County Cougars The Kane County Cougars are an independent professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play their h ...

in 2003. With Kane County he improved both his win–loss ratio to a 2–1 and his ERA to 2.27. The 2004 season was less consistent for Burton, splitting time between two of the Athletics farm teams, the

Arizona League Athletics The Arizona Complex League Athletics are a Minor League Baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, which plays as a Rookie-level team in the Arizona Complex League and has served as a farm team for the Oakland Athletics organization since 1988. Th ...

(AZL Athletics) ( Rookie League) and the

Modesto A's Modesto () is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,464 at the 2020 census, it is the 19th largest city in the state of California and forms part of the Sacramento-Stockton ...

(Single-A). Burton had a 1–0 record and a 4.16 ERA with the AZL Athletics. While in Modesto he had a 3–2 win–loss ratio and a 4.78 ERA. Overall, Burton pitched a combined 53.2 innings in 15 games in 2004. Burton spent the 2005 season with the

Stockton Ports The Stockton Ports are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Stockton, California, and are named for the city's seaport. The team plays its home games at ...

, another Oakland Single-A affiliate and went 4–4 with a 2.60 ERA. The 2006 season would turn out to be Burton's final year in Oakland's farm system, and Burton spent it with the

Midland RockHounds The Midland RockHounds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Midland, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Momentum Bank Ballpark, whi ...

. With the RockHounds he had a 6–5 record and a 4.14 ERA in a then career high 53 appearances. Jared Burton on the mound in September 2008

Cincinnati Reds

The

selected Burton in the major league portion of the 2006 Rule 5 draft meaning he has to stay on the Reds 25–man active roster all year unless injured or he returns to his previous team. He made his major league debut on April 4, 2007 and pitched in one third of an inning while

walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults o ...

three. On April 8, 2007, Burton was placed on the

disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...

after straining a hamstring running in the outfield. Burton was sent to both Triple-A

Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

and Double-A

Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

on a rehab assignment and had a combined 1–1 record with a 6.23 ERA. He was taken off the disabled list on May 9, when

Eric Milton Eric Robert Milton (born August 4, 1975) is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who played for several teams between 1998 and 2009, and is currently the head coach at Severna Park High School. Amateur career A na ...

had an inflamed elbow. Overall, for the season Burton went 4–2 with a 2.51 ERA while making 47 appearances. After putting together a 4–1 record with a 2.23 ERA in 43 games, he strained a muscle in his chest causing him to go on the disabled list on July 19, 2008. Two days earlier it was reported that Burton did not have to go on the disabled list, but he was bothered by it in a bullpen session the day before he was due back. On August 4, he suffered another setback while throwing in a bullpen session, when he felt tenderness in the muscle. Finally, on August 15, Burton threw a pain free bullpen session and followed that up with another painfree simulated game on August 22. On August 28, Burton was sent to Louisville for a rehab assignment. The Reds activated Burton from the disabled list on September 2, 2009 after he had a 4.50 ERA in two games for Louisville. Despite missing almost a month and a half due to injury, Burton pitched in a career high 54 games and posted a 5–1 record with a 3.22 ERA. Burton began the 2011 season on the DL and was shut down from throwing due to shoulder inflammation on April 9. On October 31, 2011, Burton was outrighted to the Louisville Bats. He declared free agency on November 1.

Minnesota Twins

On November 11, 2011, Burton signed a minor league contract with the

. After an impressive spring training and some complications for fellow Twins pitchers Scott Baker and

Jason Marquis Jason Scott Marquis (; born August 21, 1978) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals, Arizona ...

, Burton made the 2012 Opening Day roster. In his first season with the Twins, Burton appeared in 64 games, going 3-2 with a 2.18 ERA and 55 strikeouts. In 2013, Burton's ERA grew higher, as it finished at 3.82 and his record was 2-9 in a career high 71 games.

New York Yankees

On February 16, 2015, Burton signed a minor league contract with the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one o ...

and was invited to spring training. He didn't get to pitch in the Bronx, as he was released on March 26, 2015. On March 29, 2015, Burton was re-signed by the Yankees to a minor league contract. After appearing in 4 games in AAA, Burton was released.

Texas Rangers

Burton signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers on May 24, 2015, and was sent to Triple-A

Round Rock Express The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock, Texas, and play their home games at the Dell Diamond. The team is named ...

. He was released on June 30. On January 22, 2016, still a free agent, Burton was suspended fifty games for a second positive test for a drug of abuse. On December 10, 2016, Burton expressed interest in a comeback, but as of 2020 still remains unsigned.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burton, Jared 1981 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Canada Major League Baseball pitchers Baseball players from South Carolina Vancouver Canadians players Kane County Cougars players Arizona League Athletics players Phoenix Desert Dogs players Modesto A's players Stockton Ports players Midland RockHounds players Western Carolina Catamounts baseball players Chattanooga Lookouts players Louisville Bats players Dayton Dragons players Arizona League Reds players Cincinnati Reds players Minnesota Twins players People from Westminster, South Carolina