Emmanuel Burriss is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played parts of five seasons in the big leagues between 2008-2013. Though his MLB career was relatively short, Burriss made his mark early on as a prospect which led to some valuable baseball cards being produced of the speedy middle infielder during his rise through the minor league ranks. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the more notable Emmanuel Burriss baseball cards from his playing days.
Burriss was drafted out of high school by the San Francisco Giants in the 6th round of the 2005 MLB Draft. Considered an exciting up-and-coming prospect, Upper Deck captured Burriss in his rookie professional season by including him in the 2006 Upper Deck Prospect Premieres set. Sporting Giants minor league uniforms on the front, these Prospect Premieres cards provided an early glimpse of future stars just starting out. Burriss’ rookie card from this set in now quite collectible for Giants and baseball card fans alike.
In 2007, Burriss’ prospect stock continued to rise as he hit .308 between Low-A and High-A ball that season. This performance led to Topps prominently featuring Burriss in their 2007 Topps Triple Threads baseball card product. The Triple Threads parallel insert set highlights top prospects, and Burriss’ card stands out with a serial number of /99 making it a fairly scarce pull. His prospect status and the low serial number on this particular parallel have made Burriss’ 2007 Topps Triple Threads card one of his most valuable from the minor league days.
Burriss broke out in 2008 by hitting .337 with 44 stolen bases between Double-A and Triple-A. This breakout season led to Topps paying serious attention to Burriss in their flagship 2009 Topps baseball card release. He received an impressive card in the base set sporting his Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies uniform. Additionally, Burriss paralleled this prospect momentum with inclusion in the prestigious 2009 Topps Prospect Parallel set, a prized parallel insert set at the time numbering to just /250 copies. Both of these prominent 2009 Topps Burriss cards are key pieces for collectors of his early career.
After getting called up to the Giants in late 2008, Burriss made his MLB debut the following season in 2009. He appeared on the cover of the Giants’ 2009 Topps Opening Day set amongst the team’s rising talent. Upper Deck also captured Burriss’ MLB arrival with an inclusion in their 2009 Upper Deck SP Authentic baseball card product, widely considered the premier modern release for on-card autographs. Burriss’ signed card from this set marks his transition from prospect to big leaguer.
While Burriss bounced between the Giants and their minor league affiliates for several seasons, 2010 Topps Heritage paid tribute to his prospect pedigree with an inclusion of Burriss in the prestigious “Your Rookies” parallel insert set which highlights top prospects who are on the cusp of stardom. The parallel version of this card numbers to just /199 copies. Burriss also continued to receive regular issue base cards in Topps flagship sets through 2013 as he established himself at the MLB level with the Giants.
In summary, Emmanuel Burriss’ baseball cards provide a unique lens into tracking the rise and career of a talented prospect who made his mark in the Giants’ organization for nearly a decade. From his first prospect cards in 2006-2009 documenting his development, to appearances in flagship and premium sets after arriving in the majors, Burriss’ collection of cards tell the story of a speedy middle infielder with the talent to play in the big leagues. While his MLB tenure was not extensive, Burriss’ cards remain an interesting collectible for fans of the Giants and those who appreciate chronicling a prospect’s journey to The Show.
