Jake Burger Changes Number To 21 In Honor Of Daughter With Down Syndrome

Jake Burger is changing his jersey number to raise awareness for a cause that hits close to home.

The infielder, who was traded to the Texas Rangers in December, has chosen to wear No. 21 — in honor of his daughter Penelope, who was born with Down Syndrome. The genetic condition, known clinically as Trisomy 21, occurs when a person has an extra copy of chromosome 21.

"For me, this is the first time I can pick a number that's not just close to my heart, but close to a lot of people's hearts," Burger told reporters. "For me, it's about trying to spread awareness and trying to get the word out about Down syndrome and how people can get support. I'm just really proud of this number and really excited to wear this and represent [not only] my daughter, but also so many people out there."

Burger and his wife Ashlyn welcomed Penelope, their second child, on Oct. 25, 2024. The two are also parents to a 2-year-old boy, Brooks.

In addition to changing his number to raise awareness of the condition, Burger revealed that he and his wife will also be doing a lot of work behind the scenes for families of kids with Down Syndrome, including starting a foundation with ties to their home in Nashville, Tenn., and in Dallas-Fort Worth.

"We're really, really excited to push that forward and help as many families as we can," Burger said. "We call it the ‘lucky few’; that’s families with a kid affected with Down syndrome. That's how my wife Ashlyn and I feel. That's how Brooks feels as her brother. We're just so, so grateful to have this opportunity to help as many families out there as we can."

Burger previously wore No. 30 for the Chicago White Sox and No. 36 for the Miami Marlins.