Quick Facts
Biography
Emmanuel "Manny" Allen Burriss (born January 17, 1985) is an American professional baseball utility player in the Washington Nationals organization. He previously played for the San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, and Philadelphia Phillies. He is a switch-hitter who throws right-handed. While primarily a second baseman, Burriss has played a variety of positions during his career.
Early life
Burriss attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, D.C., and St. Ann's Academy in middle school. At Wilson, he played basketball as well as baseball. He was the first Major League Baseball player to graduate from the Washington, D.C. public school system since 1981, when catcher Willie Royster played in four games for the Baltimore Orioles. Burriss also played in the Cape Cod Baseball League, a summer league for college players, with the Orleans Firebirds, winning the 2005 championship. He played collegiately at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. After his college career the San Francisco Giants drafted him in the first round of the 2006 MLB Draft.
Professional career
San Francisco Giants
After two years in the minor leagues, Burriss was rated the Giants' tenth best prospect in the Baseball America Prospect Handbook 2008. He did not make the Giants out of spring training that year, but the Giants purchased his contract from the AAA Fresno Grizzlies on April 20. He finished his rookie season with a .283 batting average in 95 games. After the season, the Giants sent Burriss to the 2008 Arizona Fall League where he played as a member of the Scottsdale Scorpions. During the Giants' 2009 spring training camp Burriss competed with Kevin Frandsen for the starting second baseman position; Burriss was named the starter on April 1, 2009. On June 4, Burriss was playing second base as Randy Johnson won his 300th game against the Washington Nationals. Burriss' RBI single in the second inning proved to be the game-winning RBI. Despite that, on Tuesday, June 16, he was sent down to AAA Fresno Grizzlies for Matt Downs after hitting .238/.292/.267 in 61 games. On July 5, 2009 Burriss fractured the fifth metatarsal in his left foot rounding second base at Fresno, ending his season.
Burriss refractured the foot in Spring training 2010. He returned (in Fresno) late in the 2010 season, and was awarded with a call up to the Giants once the Grizzlies' season ended, however he was not placed on the Giants' postseason roster. He appeared in 59 games for the Giants in 2011, splitting time between the Major League club and Fresno. In 2012, Burriss made the Giants out of Spring Training, but on July 28, 2012, he was designated for assignment. Then on September 4, 2012, Burriss was added back to the Giants' rosterand finished the year in the Major Leagues only to be sent outright to the Fresno Grizzlies after the end of the season. On November 8, 2012, Burriss elected free agency.
Cincinnati Reds
On November 21, 2012, Burriss signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds with an invitation to spring training. He played all of 2013 with Triple-A Louisville, where in 108 games (mostly at shortstop and second base), he hit .241 with 24 RBI and 17 SB.
Washington Nationals
In December 2013, Burriss signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals. In 2014, he has played for the AAA Syracuse Chiefs.On June 26, 2015, he had his contract purchased when Anthony Rendon was placed on the disabled list. He made five plate appearances, his first in the major leagues since 2012, and picked up two hits and two walks. He was given and accepted an outright assignment to Syracuse on July 28, 2015.
Burriss elected free agency immediately after the 2015 season.
Philadelphia Phillies
Burriss signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies in November 2015. After making the opening day roster for the Phillies, he was designated for assignment on June 1, 2016. After spending most of the summer with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, he was recalled by the Phillies in late August. He declared for free agency October 16, 2016, and reunited in December with the Nationals on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.