Michael Bourn
From BR Bullpen
Michael Ray Bourn
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 180 lb.
- School University of Houston
- High School Nimitz High School
- Debut July 30, 2006
- Born December 27, 1982 in Houston, TX USA
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[edit] Amateur career
Outfielder Michael Bourn was drafted in the 19th round of the 2000 amateur draft by the Houston Astros but did not sign. He remained in Houston for college, though, and hit .303/.431/.330 his freshman year with 35 stolen bases and only six extra-base hits. In 2002, Houston was ranked 10th in the country by Baseball America and Bourn hit .328/.446/.381; he led Conference USA with 32 stolen bases, two ahead of James Jurries. '03 marked a continued steady run at .330/.411/.407 with 1 double in 182 AB and 23 steals. The Philadelphia Phillies took the speedy OBP machine with their 4th-round pick of the 2003 amateur draft.
[edit] In the minors
Bourn debuted with the '03 Batavia Muckdogs and batted .280/.404/.296 with 23 steals in 28 tries and 23 walks in 35 games; he had one extra-base hit, a triple. In 2004, Michael hit .315/.431/.467 for the Lakewood Blue Claws. He scored 92 runs, had 39 extra-base hits (including 14 triples), walked 85 times and stole 58 while only getting caught 6 times. He was rated the 21st-best outfield prospect in baseball by Baseball America and the #11 prospect in the South Atlantic League. He tied for 7th in the SAL in average and led the league in OBP, walks, steals and triples.
The speedster was with the Reading Phillies in 2005 and put up a .268/.348/.364 line with 38 steals in 50 tries, 80 runs and 8 triples, but 123 strikeouts for the patient punchless player. He also fielded .997 and had 21 outfield assists. He led Eastern League outfielders in fielding percentage, assists and double plays (an impressive 9) while finishing 10 putouts behind leader Chris Roberson. He was rated the 18th-best prospect in the EL and Baseball America labeled him the league's "Most Exciting Player."
Michael began 2006 back with Reading. The 23-year-old flyhawk hit .274/.350/.365 with 30 steals in 34 attempts. On July 4, he moved up to the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Red Barons and hit .283/.368/.428 with 7 triples in 38 games and 15 stolen bases in 16 attempts. He also got a 17-game look with the 2006 Phillies, mostly as a defensive sub. Bourn tied for 4th in the minors with 13 triples overall. Baseball America rated him as the fastest baserunner in the Eastern League and the #17 prospect in the International League.
[edit] Team USA, majors
Bourn played for Team USA in the 2006 COPABE qualifier for the 2008 Olympics and hit .250/.333/.542 as the regular center fielder; the US earned a spot in the Olympics.
Bourn hit .277/.348/.378 in 105 games for the 2007 Phillies, playing almost entirely as a pinch-runner and defensive substitute. He only had 119 AB; he stole 18 bases while only being caught once and was error-free in the outfield. The Houston Astros signed him for 2008.
Primary sources: 2000-2007 Baseball Almanacs
