Former Mercer Bear Billy Burns makes MLB debut with Oakland A’s

MACON, Ga. (MERCER ATHLETICS RELEASE) – Former Mercer outfielder Billy Burns made his major league debut with the Oakland A’s on Monday night, after being called up from the Midland RockHounds (AA) on Monday afternoon. Burns made his first appearance in a pinch-hitting role, lining out to right field in the ninth inning.

After scoring a pair of runs and stealing two bases in the RockHounds’ 11-3 rout of Corpus Christi on Sunday, Burns joined the A’s in Houston for the start of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park. He becomes the first Bear since Cory Gearrin to make a major league appearance.

Through 91 games for Midland in 2014, Burns led the Texas League with 51 stolen bases in 56 attempts while batting .250 on the year. The Marietta, Ga. native has totaled 176 stolen bases over the course of his four-year stretch in the minor leagues.

One of the nation’s premier lead-off hitters at Mercer, Burns compiled 159 runs and went 70-for-70 in stolen base attempts during his three-year career. He helped lead the 2010 team to the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, after posting single-season records in runs scored (73) and stolen bases (30).

Oakland is back in action tomorrow, July 29, in the second part of its three-game series with Houston at Minute Maid Park. First pitch is set for 5:10 p.m. CST.