By STEVE KRAH
Joe Burke is playing professional baseball in Michigan.
The 6-foot-4, 240 pound first baseman/outfielder developed his power game on both sides of the Ohio River.
Born and raised in Jeffersonville, Ind., and looking up to older cousin Chris Burke (who prepped in Louisville, shined at the University of Tennessee, played pro ball 2001-2010 including stints with the Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres and is now a broadcast analyst).
“It’s pretty cool having him as a cousin,” says Burke, who is 18 years younger than Chris. “I got to hit with him over winter breaks.
“I learned a few things hitting-wise from him. It was always cool to pick his brain.”
Joe played at Jeff/GRC Little League then travel ball with the Ironmen Baseball Club when that organization was new and American Legion ball for Floyds Knobs Post 42 and coaches Ricky Romans and Jamie Knight.
A 2016 graduate of Jeffersonville High School, Burke had Derek Ellis as a field boss.
“I loved playing for him,” says Burke, who spent four years on varsity. “He’s an amazing coach and an even better human being.
“Be Uncommon — That was one of things he preached the most.”
Two of Derek’s sons — Drew Ellis (Class of 2014 and now in the Philadelphia Phillies organization) and Ian Ellis (Class of 2016) were on the Jeff Red Devils with Joe and older brother Josh Burke.
The youngest of of Kevin and Diane Burke’s four sons, Joe also played high school tennis and joined the Jeffersonville basketball team as a senior.
Sam Burke was a tennis and baseball in high school and played baseball at Bellarmine University and Indiana University Southeast.
Shane Burke played those two sports at Jeffersonville and tennis at IU Southeast.
Josh Burke played tennis, baseball and some basketball as a prepster then baseball at Danville (Ill.) Area Community College.
Kevin Burke is a Business Development Officer at First Harrison Bank in Jeffersonville. Diane Burke is a nurse at Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville.
After high school, Joe Burke went on to put up big numbers in Owensboro, Ky., at NCAA Division II Kentucky Wesleyan College (2017-21). Todd Lillpop has guided the Panthers program for 23 seasons.
“He’s one of the best coaches in the state of Kentucky,” says Burke. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s always there for you when you need advice.”
Lillpop makes it a point to stay connect to his players after they depart KWC.
“He’s just a part of the family,” says Burke. “I owe that guy a lot because he took a chance on me.
“I’ll never forget that.”
Andrew Kirkland was a teammate and then Kentucky Wesleyan’s hitting coach in Burke’s final two seasons at the school.
“I learned quite a bit from him just playing with him,” says Burke of the former third baseman.
In 193 games at KWC, Burke hit .329 (218-of-662) with 52 homers (a school and Great Midwest Athletic Conference record), three triples, 44 doubles, 192 RBIs (a school and GMAC record), 159 runs and 1.082 OPS (.441 on-base percentage plus .541 slugging average).
Especially potent in 2018, Burke hit .370, 23 homers, one triple, 11 doubles, 65 RBIs, 55 runs in 53 games played that season.
He earned two college degrees — Fitness and Sports Management with Business Administration minor and Communication Arts.
Burke hurt his hamstring as a freshman and spent the summer of 2017 rehabbing the ailment. He played for the Florida Collegiate Summer League’s DeLand Suns 2018-21.
He left the amateur ranks in the summer of 2021 with the independent United Shore Professional Baseball League’s Eastside Hoppers in Utica, Mich., and has also played for that club in 2022 and 2023.
The USPBL has four teams (besides Eastside, there’s the Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers, Utica Unicorns and Westside Woolly Mammoths) and plays all games at Jimmy John’s Field. Many players have signed contracts with Major League Baseball-affiliated organizations.
“It’s been pretty amazing,” says Burke, who turned 25 in April. “I get a chance to play every other day. I’m trying to make the most of my opportunity here.
“I have a great host family that allowed me to come back this year.”
Through games of June 28, USPBL infield all-star Burke was hitting .304 (14-of-46) with one home runs and was among the league leaders in runs batted in with 10.
“I’m always hunting fastball every at-bat no matter what,” says Burke of his plan of attack in the batter’s box. “I love middle-in. If it’s early in the count I spit on anything middle/away.
My offensive approach has always been same all through college and pro ball: Hit my pitch, don’t try to chase (a ball out of the strike zone), square it up and hit it hard somewhere. All I’m trying to do is make hard, solid contact.”
Home run hitter is not a label Burke places on himself.
“I think of myself as power guy,” says Burke. “I try to hit the ball as hard as I can. If it goes it goes.
“I just try to hit hard line drives.”
At first base, Burke just wants to keep the ball in front of him and uses his chest to do that if necessary.
The hardest job besides catching is when you have to scoop a ball out of the dirt and make your other defenders look good,” says Burke.
While the hops are truer on turf, Burke says he prefers playing on grass and dirt. That is what he gets in Utica.
The USPBL is slated to end its regular season Sept. 2 with the championship series Sept. 7-9.
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