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X’s Sign Second Base, Speedster DJ Burt

Sioux City, IA — The Sioux City Explorers have announced the signing of INF DJ Burt.The 2021 season will be Burt’s seventh season of professional baseball and his first with the Explorers. 

Burt was a fourth round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals back in 2014 out of Fuquay-Varina High School in North Carolina. He has spent all six seasons in professional baseball with the Royals,  reaching as high as Double-A. 

Burt in his career has showcased elite speed and base stealing ability. In 533 affiliate minor league games, the 25 year old has 160 stolen bases. Other than his rookie year in 2014, in which he played in only 49 games, Burt has stolen at least 18 bases in a season. He has finished in the top ten each year in stolen bases since 2015. In three straight campaigns from 2016-18, Burt stole at least 32 bases, including a career high 43 in 2016 with Single-A, Lexington. 

In 2018, Burt was named a Carolina League All-Star when playing for the High-A, Wilmington Blue Rocks. In 111 games he hit at a .280 clip, scoring 72 runs, with 14 doubles and seven triples and swiping 32 bags. 

The North Carolina native’s final season with Kansas City was in 2019 with Double-A, Northwest Arkansas. Reaching his highest level in the farm system, he appeared in 80 hames hitting .226. He scored 24 times, driving in 13 with seven doubles and 26 stolen bases. 

Over his career with the Royals, Burt hit .253, scoring 295 runs with 63 doubles and 27 triples. 

Burt spent two winters playing in the ABL with the Melbourne Aces. In 55 total games with Melbourne between 2018 and 2019, Burt hit for a .338 batting average with 21 stolen bases, 38 runs scored, and 22 RBI. He played alongside current Explorers, Nate Samson and Patrick Ledet in 2019 helping guide the Aces to the Claxton Shield and an ABL title. 

Burt will slide into the vacant second base spot on the X’s roster, a position he played 372 games at during his career. 

The Sioux City Explorers 29th year in Siouxland will begin at MercyOne Field at Lewis and Clark Park on May 18th versus the Houston Apollos. There will be an open house for our brand new box office and team shop on April 23rd beginning at noon. Tickets purchased that day at the box office will be 50% off and new team merchandise purchased at the team store that day will be 20% off.