Ranked No. 17 in the Class of 2014, recent Missouri State commit and current CBC third baseman Jake Burger becomes the lastest Class of 2014 player to make his college commitment.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Burger hit .437 with nine doubles, five triples, and 31 RBIs last season as a junior and should build on his successful junior season to be a leader for a CBC squad that graduated 11 players.

We recently caught up with Burger to get his thoughts on the recruiting process. 

PBR: Which schools were you considering prior to committing to Missouri State?
Burger: I was considering a lot of schools that were unique and interesting in their own ways.  These schools were Mizzou, SLU, SIU - C, Evansville, Central Arkansas, Wichita State, and SEMO.   

PBR: What were the reasons that you ultimately chose Missouri State?
Burger: I ultimately chose Missouri State, because it was a perfect storm of everything I wanted in a college. For example,  I loved the size of the school not too big and not too small, I loved Coach Guttin, Coach Evans and Coach Thomas, and the MO Valley is a great conference to play in.  They also embrace my mind set when it comes to baseball, that is a blue collar mind set.  We are just going to work as hard as we can possibly work to get better.   

PBR: What was the relationship you had with Coach Guttin and his other coaches in the recruitment process?
Burger: We had an excellent relationship.  We hadn't really talked until this summer, but we just seemed to kick it off.  The coaching staff at Missouri State was exactly what I was looking for. 

PBR: Do you feel that playing in Missouri and facing the competition you do has prepared you to be a college player?
Burger: Most definitely, but I do suggest that you play out of your state too.  You will face more and sometimes better competition if you travel out of state.  

PBR: What team did you play for over the summer and how did it go for you? Were there any aspects of your game that you wanted to improve during the summer?
Burger: I played for the Rawlings Prospects with Coach Reed.  It went great, Coach Reed does an excellent job of getting you noticed by coaches.  I would not be where I am today in the recruiting process without the help of Coach Reed and my Dad.  There is always something to improve.  I wanted to improve every single part of my game. 

PBR: As you head into your senior year, is it good to have the commitment and recruiting process done?
Burger: Yes, it is good, but it isn't the end of the world if you're not committed to a school.  If you have the talent you will be found.  It is a relief to have it done though. 

PBR: Do you feel that this season will be any different considering that you know where you’ll attend college?
Burger: No, I don't.  It might be more relaxing, but it's another chance to improve my game and chase a state title that we fell just short of this year. 

PBR: What do you hope to accomplish in this upcoming season on an individual level?
Burger: As I said before, my main goal of the season is to improve my game and chase a state title.  Additionally, I want to break my personal high school RBI record this year of 32. 

PBR: What advice would you give to other players who are just beginning the recruiting process?
Burger: My best piece of advice would be go about things the right way. Coaches care more about how you react to things than the results.  If they see a hard worker and a slacker and they both have the same amount of skill they will go with the hard worker any day of the week. 

PBR: You have participated in a Prep Baseball Report event and are among the top ranked players in the Class of 2014, how do you think PBR aided in and prepared you for your recruiting?
Burger: The PBR event I attended was the first showcase I had ever attended.  That event helped me set a base for what showcases were about and helped me relax during future showcases.