Miami baseball all-time lineup is home run

Shields is at the top of the Miami lists in many career categories. With limits on the number of games currently played in college baseball versus the early to mid-1980s when Shields played he will likely stay there. His bio in the Hurricanes 2019 media guide listed his career achievements.

"“Shields is UM’s career leader in games played with 284 and ranks second in career at bats with 871. He ranks third in runs scored (238) and hits (271), and is 10th in career RBI with 165.”"

Shields was a key player on Fraser’s first national championship team in 1982. He finished his Miami baseball career with a .312 batting average, 22 home runs and 182 RBIs.

Maybe the most accomplished player in Miami baseball history Burrell came to Coral Gables from California a few years before Braun. He was a star from the outset. Burrell hit five home runs in his first six collegiate games. He would go on to lead the nation in hitting with a .484 batting average as a Freshman.

Burrell hit 23 home runs and drove in 64 as the Hurricanes lost in the national championship game to LSU on the Morris HR. Burrell was the first freshman to lead the nation in batting. Despite the Hurricanes loss, Burrell was the CWS MVP.

Miami Hurricanes

Burrell was named a first-team all-American following the season. Miami made the CWS in all three of Burrell’s seasons in Coral Gables. Burrell finished his Miami career with a .886 slugging percentage. That’s second in NCAA baseball history. His .442 batting average is second in college baseball history.

Both of those numbers are the best in the history of the Miami baseball program. Accordding to Burell’s UM Sports Hall of Fame Biography he “is 2nd in career home runs (61), 2nd in total bases (465), 5th in RBI (187), and 4th in walks (170).”  

After his Hurricanes playing career, he was the first overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1998 MLB Draft. Although Burell never lived up to his lofty projections as a professional he was a key part of many successful Phillies teams. Burrell finished his MLB Career with 292 home runs and 976 RBIs.

Canes Warning will conclude the second part of the All-Time Miami baseball team in a separate look at pitchers J.D. Arteaga (1994-97), Alex Fernandez (1989) Danny Graves (1992-94) and Jay Tessmer (1994-95)