By Erin Schwab
Albert Einstein once said, “Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted.”
The contributions that Josh Burgmann makes to the Nanaimo Clippers is a fine example of Einstein’s quote. While the local product is a Chicago Cubs drafted pitcher who is currently playing in the minors, Burgmann spends all his down time watching HockeyTV and writing scouting reports for the Clippers.
“I played both hockey and baseball growing up and had to make the choice between hockey and baseball when I was 15 years old. It was a very difficult decision because I loved them both equally. In the end, I chose baseball but my love for hockey as a fan just grew. I have missed playing the game since I have stopped playing so this is a really awesome opportunity for me to get back into the game, just in a different capacity,” said the 23-year-old.
Shortly after making the decision to pursue baseball, Burgmann carved about quite the career for himself. He was able to attend the Vauxhall Academy of Baseball for his high school years while coming home in the summers to play for the Nanaimo Pirates in the PBL.
Burgmann was fortunate enough to also represent Canada by playing for the junior national team from 2014 to 2016. After graduating from Vauxhall, he went on to attend the University of Washington on a baseball scholarship from 2016 to 2019. In the 2019 MLB draft, Burgmann was selected in the fifth round by the Chicago Cubs.
While he has been enjoying the opportunities he has had in baseball, Burgmann still loved the game of hockey and followed the careers of friends and former teammates.
“I got to watch a lot of my buddies that I grew up playing with going on to have successful careers in hockey. A lot of them played in the BCHL and the WHL,” said Burgmann. “Dylan Coghlan who made his NHL debut this past year with the Vegas Golden Knights and Carter Turnbull who was recently named captain at the University of Connecticut for the next season, Clippers fans remember him well from his time in Powell River.”
When the opportunity presented itself for Burgmann to join the Clippers as Advanced Scout, he could not turn it down.
“As a kid, I remember having season tickets and going to all the games. I really wanted to get into hockey in some form and I’m glad to be doing it with the Clippers,” said Burgmann. “I am super excited and grateful for the opportunity Darren and Colin are giving me. With how much video access there is today, I am able to do lots of scouting for the club in my free time. All the while, I am working towards my ultimate goal of playing in the MLB.”
Listen to Dan Marshall’s interview with Josh here: Josh Burgmann interview.
