Philadelphia Phillies: 50 greatest players of all-time

Only twice have the Phillies had the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft. Prior to taking Mickey Moniak in 2016, Pat Burrell was the lone man to hold that title in Phillies history.

Philadelphia took Burrell out of the University of Miami in 1998 and got a strong return on investment two years later. Burrell flashed tremendous power immediately and finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year race with 18 home runs and 27 doubles.

For nearly a decade, Burrell was one of the Phillies’ best power hitters, highlighted by 37 home runs and 39 doubles in 2002, earning him MVP consideration. He had eight consecutive seasons with at least 20 home runs and four with at least 30.

Burrell finally got his playoff run in 2007 after several miserable seasons. His first playoff hit was a home run off Jeff Francis in the 2007 NLDS.

Burrell’s success in the short-lived playoff run carried into the 2008 season with 33 home runs and a .367 on-base percentage.

In the playoffs, Burrell struggled, but delivered in the clutch once again with three home runs. His final hit as a Phillie was nearly the game-winner against the Tampa Bay Rays after the multi-day rain delay, but he set up pinch-runner Eric Bruntlett to score the game-winner off the bat of Pedro Feliz.

Burrell left Philadelphia the following offseason for the Rays to become a full-time designated hitter. After winning a second ring with the San Francisco Giants, Burrell retired as a member of the Phillies.

The Phillies inducted Burrell onto the Wall of Fame in 2015, making him the first (and currently only) player from the championship club to receive the honor.

Burrell retired with the fourth-most home runs in Phillies history and is among the top-10 in all-time categories, including RBI, at-bats per home run and walks.