Topic: Jared Burton

Levi Jared Burton (born June 2, 1981 in Westminster, South Carolina) is a Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds.

He was originally selected by the Oakland Athletics in the eighth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. 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 innings pitched as a reliever.

The Oakland Athletics selected Burton out of Western Carolina University in the eighth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. 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 affiliate, the Vancouver Canadians. With Vancouver he had a 0–4 win–loss record with a 3.58 earned run average (ERA) in 13 games. He followed up his 2002 season with 15 appearances for the Kane County Cougars in 2003. With Kane County he improved both his win–loss ratio to a 2–1 and his ERA to 2.27. 2004, was less consistent for Burton splitting time between two of the Athletics farm teams, the Arizona League Athletics (AZL Athletics) (Rookie League) and the Modesto A's (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 pithced a combined 53.2 innings in 15 games in 2004. Burton spent the 2005 season with the Stockton Ports, another Oakland Single-A affiliate and went 4–4 with a 2.60 ERA. 2006, would turn out to be Burton's final in Oakland's farm system and Burton spent it with the Midland Rockhounds. With the Rockhounds he had a 6–5 record and a 4.14 ERA while a then career high 53 appearances.