Former Defensive Back Charcer Burks Prides Himself on Outstanding Defense in Tennessee

Charcer Burks has always prided himself on his defense.
For the Tennessee Smokies, he patrols left field for fly balls in the Southern League. In high school, he was a ball-hawking cornerback in Houston, Texas. And even though his Friday nights are spent on the diamond rather than the gridiron, his mentality never changed.
"The ball is in the air -- go grab it," he says.
Burks has always found success at the plate. He has a career .262 average, 188 RBI and 96 stolen bases.
But even though he's a consistent hitter, defense is his true constant.
"You're going to slump at the plate. But on defense you can't have that. You have to be very consistent. No matter what, I know my defense can't take a day off because defense can be the change in the game," Burks said.
In Tennessee's win over the Birmingham Barons on July 15, one of his catches was the difference in the game. With no outs in the top of the seventh in a tie game, Burks robbed Barons outfielder Joel Booker of a home run to left.
Burks leapt over the wall, snatching the ball before it could ricochet off the deck in left field for a go-ahead homer.
The moment the ball was hit, Burks knew it was going a long way. But he was also confident that he could track it down.
The word he used: "rob-able."
"Those first three steps I take my eye off the ball and put my head down and cover as much ground as I can," he said. "And that's what I did. Whenever I picked it up I was a few steps from the wall. So, I made a quick adjustment to the ball and I knew the wall was coming up.
"I just jumped and knew I had it."
Burks lives for moments like that.
He cares about changing the game in the field as much as he does at the plate.
"It was kind of like a 2-0, 3-1 fastball. You know it's coming."
Burks has been recognized for his defense before. He won the 2016 Rawlings Gold Glove for outstanding outfield work with Myrtle Beach not long ago. But it all started hunting a different kind of ball when it was in the air.
"In high school and growing up, one of my favorite sports was football," he said. "I played defensive back and it was the same thing. I took pride in covering someone's best receiver that week."
When Burks started playing baseball, he didn't have a lot of opportunities to make highlight grabs. He played second base and shortstop growing up.
But he still made the most of his opportunity to hunt down a ball and rob somebody.
"My favorite thing to do was to run after foul balls so I could show that range," he said. "Later in high school I started to make that transition in the outfield. So then instead of getting that opportunity once every few games, I got it every day."
Before he takes the field, Burks still goes back to his roots. He's not strapping up a helmet anymore, but he still watches film of his favorite defensive backs.
Burks grew up an LSU fan, meaning he's watched NFL defensive backs such as Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu for years. His hometown Houston Texans are also important to him. And they just signed Mathieu, his all-time favorite player.
As a fan, he loves to watch pro defensive backs go to work. But as a pro himself, there's a lesson to be learned too.
"Sometimes before games I just watch some of their highlights. When I watch them use their feet, turn and run, it's a work of art honestly. I appreciate that as a fan and just try to take as much of that as I can."
When Burks jogs into left field to start an inning, he's locked in. And if he's made a big catch, he's even more confident his next time up at the plate.
"For me personally, you make a play like that and you feel like there's nothing you can't do."