In October, when Jake Burger was still with the Marlins, he considered changing his jersey number. The infielder had worn No. 30 with the White Sox from 2021 to 2023 and No. 36 with Miami from 2023 to 2024.
However, on October 25, Burger and his wife Ashlyn welcomed their second child, a daughter named Penelope, who was born with Down syndrome.
As a tribute to Penelope and others with Down syndrome, Burger decided to switch to No. 21 for the 2025 season. Down syndrome, clinically known as Trisomy 21, is a genetic condition where a person has an extra copy of chromosome 21.
.@Burgatron13's daughter, Penelope, was born on October 25 with Down syndrome.
Down syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is caused by an error in cell division that results in an extra copy of chromosome 21.
Jake will wear No. 21 this season for the first time in his career as… pic.twitter.com/Mzvc2YEGvD
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) January 18, 2025
“For me, this is the first time I’ve had the chance to choose a number that’s not only meaningful to me, but to so many others as well,” Burger said. “It’s about raising awareness and sharing information about Down syndrome, and helping people understand how they can find support. I’m really proud of this number and excited to wear it, not just for my daughter, but for so many others.”
Burger revealed his new number on Friday night, just before the Rangers’ annual awards banquet. While the Burgers had known about Penelope’s diagnosis since April, the idea of changing his number didn’t come to them until after she was born.
“I think it was right after she was born,” Burger recalled. “I was still with Miami at the time, and we were looking into getting No. 21 there, but luckily when I came here, I was able to get it. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to wear this number, because it means so much. My wife, who’s much smarter than I am, suggested the idea. So I’m proud to wear it.”
Penelope is doing well, according to Burger. She spent only four days in the NICU, whereas some cases require six to eight weeks. She was able to avoid immediate surgery after birth, but Burger expects to miss some time during Spring Training when Penelope undergoes open heart surgery.
“She’s the strongest little person I know, and I have no doubt she’ll get through it easily,” Burger said. “She’s surrounded by an amazing family and an incredible mom, and I’m praying for her every day.”
Burger also shared that while he can’t provide many details yet, he and his family are planning to do a lot behind the scenes to raise awareness for Down syndrome. They are working on starting a foundation with connections to both their hometown of Nashville, Tenn., and the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
“We’re really excited to push this forward and help as many families as we can,” Burger said. “We refer to it as the ‘lucky few’—families with a child affected by Down syndrome. That’s how my wife Ashlyn and I feel, and that’s how Brooks feels as her brother. We’re incredibly grateful for the chance to help as many families as possible.”
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