An Interview With Max Burt

Roughly 30 minutes from the “Hub of the World”, Boston, lies the town of North Andover. North Andover, a town of 31,296 residents. The town is also home to Max Burt, an avid childhood Red Sox fan who has become a standout shortstop in the New York Yankees minor league organization. Burt was more than generous and sat down with me last month to discuss his baseball journey and some of the highlights of his story.

Burt attended St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers, Massachusetts, where he excelled both in the classroom and on the athletic fields. Burt played baseball, basketball, and golf for Eagles and was a superstar on the court and golf course, although baseball was Burt’s favorite. Burt did not commit to playing baseball in college until later on in his senior year, when he committed to Northeastern just 30 minutes from his hometown. Burt was also recruited by Holy Cross, William & Mary, Villanova and UMass-Lowell, yet decided to attend Northeastern University and become a Husky.

Burt was an all-around ballplayer at Northeastern, spending time at second base, shortstop, and third base. Although statistics aren’t everything, Burt got 214 hits, getting on base once out every three at bats, of which he had 824 in 224 total NCAA games. Burt’s batting average was .260 and his OPS was .699. Burt was named captain of the team for his effort both on and off the field, by his fellow teammates for the duration of his junior and senior years. Before his junior and senior years, Burt played in the most prestigious college summer league in the country, the Cape Cod Baseball League, for the Harwich Mariners both summers. Burt alternated between third base and shortstop as a Mariner and was even on the 2017 team with Kyler Murray, the Oakland Athletics number eight draft pick and now-Arizona Cardinals QB. Towards the back end of his senior year at Northeastern, Burt declared for the MLB draft.

As many players can attest to, the draft is one of the most exciting yet nerve racking nights of their lives. While the team they get drafted by is not the definitive and sole path that the players will take to reach the Major Leagues, it is most certainly a big first step. Burt’s grandfather passed away not long before, and after each game Burt played in, his grandfather came over and commended him for his effort, win or lose. After hearing one of his Northeastern teammate’s names get called by the Red Sox, Burt went for a brisk walk and saw that he had been drafted by the Yankees in the 28th round.

Ever since, Burt has spent time rising the ranks in the Yankees system, making brief stops in Tampa for extended spring training after getting drafted, then in Pulaski, Tampa as a member of the Tampa Tarpons, Charleston, and, most recently, Trenton. Despite numerous injuries and other setbacks, Burt has a personal goal to get better every day, which is something worth considering.