Drew Burress has grown up knowing what it took to get to the Perfect Game All-American Classic. His dad, Andy, has run the 5 Star travel ball organization since he was young, and Drew has been able to witness firsthand the amount of talent that has come through the 5 Star program and would later go on to be named All-Americans.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Burress said. “Growing up, me and my mom always called the 17-year-olds the big boys, and now actually being there and going to that game that the guys I looked up to played in, like DL Hall, guys like that, it’s crazy. Obviously, you have faith that you’re going to make the game, but it’s crazy for far along we’ve come.”
It’s been a blessing having his dad in the dugout with him all these years, Burress said.
There have been ups and downs, sure, and his dad isn’t afraid to let him know about both, which has made him a better ballplayer.
“Some days it’s hard because he likes to get onto me,” Burress said. “He definitely isn’t afraid to cuss me out in the middle of the game. But at the same time, it’s good. Of course, all you want to do is make your dad proud. Sometimes you do something good and you see him smiling in the dugout.”
Burress has had his dad smiling quite often, with a .343 lifetime average in Perfect Game events, a career spanning 305 games over six seasons. That also includes 33 career home runs in PG events, 76 doubles, 25 triples, and 199 RBI. With 161 walks to add to his total, his lifetime OBP is up close to .500.
The outfielder from Perry, Georgia who attends Houston Country High School has been named to an All-Tournament Team a whopping 36 times in his career, and has attended a laundry list of the most prestigious PG events across the country.
He was All-Tournament at both the 14u BCS and 14u WWBA National Championships in 2019 before being selected to participate in both the 14u National Showcase and 14u Select Festival that year. He has attended Perfect Game’s Junior National Showcase twice – in 2020 and 2021 – and was named to the Top Prospect List both times.
This summer, Burress earned two MVP awards at PG events before being selected to participate in the National Showcase at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. His 6.47 speed, 97 mph arm from the outfield, 99 mph exit velo in the PG Tech Cage, and performance in-game earned him an invite to that event he spent all those years watching the big 17-year-old 5 Star players participate in – the Perfect Game All-American Classic.
“It’s been a long road,” Burress said. “But at the same time, it’s flown by. I remember playing tournaments at LakePoint when I was 13 years old like it was yesterday. A lot of work has gone into it.”
That kid who was playing in 13u tournaments not so long ago now has his sights set on Chase Field in Phoenix for the All-American Classic.
Burress said his goal in-game is to find a gap and show off his speed with an extra-base hit. Before the game, he wants to see how many times he can find the seats.
“I think I have a chance to hit in the home run derby,” he said. “I want to hit some homers on a Big League field. That would be fun.”