Before he led the Cardinals at the All-Star break in the triple crown stats, Alec Burleson was a high-schooler compared to Babe Ruth — but not for his hitting.
“So he played for the South Charlotte Panthers, which is a good travel organization,†said Cliff Godwin, the head baseball coach at East Carolina University. “The first time I ever saw Alec Burleson play, it was the summer before his sophomore year. And Don Hutchins is the owner of that organization, been doing it for a long time, big leaguers have come through that program.
“So I’m talking to him about his guys, and he says, ‘Alec Burleson — he’s the best hitter that’s ever been in our program.’ I’m like, ‘Which guy is he?’ And he points over to this guy that’s got, like, a Babe Ruth body. And I’m like, ‘Don, the (out-of-shape) kid over here?’â€
Now, as you’d expect the story to go, Burleson got into the batter’s box and swatted a homer.
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Instead, he singled to right field — “and he has to run straight through the bag,†Godwin said, “because the guy from right field is going to throw him out!â€
But what Godwin soon found out is what all of Major League Baseball is discovering in 2024: “He’s a damn good baseball player,†Godwin said. “He and MacKenzie Gore (the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2017) are probably the two most competitive humans that I’ve ever recruited.â€
Burleson, 25, is the breakout player for the 2024 Cardinals, who currently sit in the National League’s second wild-card spot. It’s a pretty cool story. Initially penciled in to be a fourth outfielder this year, Burleson is now a starter and a menace to MLB pitching. In his past 25 games, Burleson is ninth in the National League in OPS (.991). And for the season, he’s got an .814 OPS, to go with team-highs in batting average (.288), homers (17, tied with Nolan Gorman) and RBIs (53).
Where would the Cardinals be without Burleson?
Probably outside of a wild-card spot right now.
Burleson’s burgeoning career began in North Carolina (he’s from tiny Denver, North Carolina, about 40 minutes from Charlotte) and then at East Carolina, where he played just wonderfully for Godwin. And he pitched!
Now, Godwin is one of those baseball guys who’s among the league leaders in “stories per conversation.†And like a proud papa, he rattled off a bunch about Burleson to this reporter, including a story about a different reporter.
Back when “Burly†was an East Carolina freshman, a reporter who covered local recruiting stopped by practice. The reporter asked Godwin about young players to keep an eye out for.
“Alec Burleson,†Godwin said. “He’s going to hit in the three-hole.â€
Alec Burleson? Definitely wasn’t a draft prospect coming out of high school. Heck, he wasn’t highly recruited, the reporter pointed out.
“But I said,†shared Godwin, “‘Hey man, I’m telling you — this dude can hit.’ And yeah, the rest is kind of history.
“But he did pitch and hit for us, and around the draft, some scouts didn’t think he would hit for power (in the majors). ‘Look guys, let me tell you something — when he starts lifting (weights) just as a position player and not also as a pitcher, he’s going to be able to hit at least 20 home runs in the big leagues.’ ... And the guy has done nothing but hit through all levels of professional baseball.â€
Burleson battles. Always has. What a cool trait. He never gives up on an at-bat. Seldom strikes out. Overcomes doubters seemingly daily.
And he often carried his team in college, doing anything Godwin asked, be it pitching on little rest or playing a field position he’d never played before. And in what’s become a famed 2020 MLB draft for the Cardinals organization, ºüÀêÊÓƵ selected Burleson in the second round (70th overall).
In 2021, he played at Class A, AA and AAA, combining for a .270 average, 22 homers and 76 RBIs in 119 games.
In 2022, he won the batting title in the Class AAA International League (.331).
In 2023, he hit .244 for the Cardinals — but his expected batting average, per data collected by Baseball Savant, was .277 (and in the 85th percentile of all MLB players).
And now, in 2024, his numbers accurately articulate his prowess.
“He’s got the best hand-eye coordination of any human being that I’ve ever coached,†said Godwin, who has spent time as an assistant at Ole Miss, Central Florida, Louisiana State, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.
Godwin played at East Carolina with Chad Tracy, who played nine years in the majors, hitting .274. Tracy twice hit 20 or more home runs, including his 2005 campaign for Arizona, during which he hit 27 homers along with a .308 batting average and a .911 OPS.
Coincidentally, Tracy stayed at Godwin’s home this very week, as Tracy’s daughter, who plays softball, was on a recruiting visit.
“And I said, ‘Dude, I’ve never said this to you, but Burly has got better hand-eye coordination than you did,’†Godwin said. “‘And I thought you were the best hitter that I’d ever seen, when I was playing with you.’ And he kind of looked at me. And I’m like, ‘Dude, watch him in the box.’â€