Jake Burger was struggling.

The Chicago White Sox's first-round draft pick out of Missouri State saw his friends and teammates find success within the organization while he was forced to sit and watch.

And then, every time the slugger had a chance at getting back on the field, he had another setback.

That's when the darkness crept in.

Burger first realized he had anxiety before he signed with Missouri State. He had a few ankle injuries that shortened his summers and he didn't know if he'd play for a college. Luckily, MSU head coach Keith Guttin saw something in him and offered him a scholarship before Burger went on to be one of the school's all-time greats.

Make no mistake, the depression and anxiety didn't all go away once he became a Bear. He didn't know how his career would turn out with baseball before he was drafted with the 11th overall pick in 2017. He struggled then too.

When everything appeared to be going just fine, Burger felt a pop when sprinting down the first-base line in a Spring Training game on Feb. 25, 2018 — a date he has tattooed on his forearm.

He ruptured his Achilles. His season was over.

Ten weeks later, he was walking in his backyard and he felt another pop in the same leg.

He retore his Achilles. Back to square one.

Right when Burger looked like he was going to get back on the field the next year, he started to feel pain in the heel in the same leg as the torn Achilles.

Another season was over.

Throughout all of this, Burger fought through the physical pain along with the demons inside his head as he dealt with anxiety and depression.

He opened up about his depression and anxiety in a Twitter post on Tuesday. He spoke more in-depth about his struggles and his triumphs in a phone interview with the News-Leader on Wednesday.

Burger said injury after injury led him to doubt himself and his future in baseball. He even admitted thoughts of quitting the game he loves entered his mind, but he kept reminding himself to keep going.

"I don't know how you can go through a major injury without having those feelings," Burger said. "That's where those thoughts went. You keep getting knocked down by life, but you need to get back up and stay in the fight.

"Eventually, you'll break through. That's what I've learned. If you stay in the fight and you stay resilient, then you'll ultimately win it."

Burger said he's in a better place the last few months as he looks at the positives and keeps his loved ones close.

If it wasn't for the coronavirus delaying the beginning of the season, he believes he'd be out on the field with his teammates somewhere within the White Sox organization.

"Every time I'm about to get back, something happens," Burger said. "There's when the negatives start to creep in. You just have to take the positives and go with the flow with everything."

Burger asked the White Sox if he could move back to the Midwest from Arizona to be closer to friends and family. The White Sox, who he says have been nothing but supportive, agreed and moved him to Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Unfortunately for Chicago fans, Burger became a Packers fan as he rehabbed next door to Lambeau Field. The third baseman felt like he was on an island by himself as he worked out and took a hiatus from social media.

"I had work to do on my mind," Burger said. "I do my best work in the dark. I'm doing this for myself and not anybody else. I loved interacting with fans, but six months of no interaction and working on myself was the right decision for me to get back on track."

Working out near family mixed with a night in mid-January when he got up and walked to the bathroom has him excited for what's to come.

During the walk, he felt something strange. It wasn't a pop or anything, but he didn't feel any tightness or pain in his leg. For the first time in years, it felt normal.

"Once I didn't feel any pain, I thought 'why did I think like that?'" Burger said of the thoughts he's had over the last few years. "You're always going to have regrets and wish you had the answers sooner, but that's part of life. Everybody's got a different path and it takes time to cope with everything."

Burger said his girlfriend along with his sister, MSU tennis player Ellie Burger, kept him strong throughout his battle, as well as some of his former MSU teammates and coaches.

He's kept in contact with Guttin and MSU Director of Player Development Joe Lincoln. His buddies from the 2017 Super Sectional season — including fan-favorites Justin Paulsen and Aaron Meyer — have all been just a text or call away.

"That's why I chose (MSU)," Burger said. "It's a family, no matter where you're at in life. I was really, really, really struggling. Even if I was just struggling a little bit, I could call Guttin right now and he'd be there and supportive of me."

As for now, Burger is rehabbing back in Arizona and is one of the few "essential personnel" who are allowed at the White Sox's facility amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Selfishly, he thinks the extra time before the season will allow him to return to the team at 100% and he'll finally be able to just be one of the guys.

Burger said he loves the direction of the White Sox organization. With the youth on the team combined with recent free agent signings, he thinks Chicago will be one of the teams to beat. He dreams of the day he can raise a World Series trophy for the team he loved growing up.

He wants to continue to play third base, but at this point, he'll play anywhere. Burger thinks he'll be a better fielder than he was before the injury, and everyone knows the great potential he has with his bat.

On Twitter on Tuesday night, Burger reflected on how far he's come and how much he's learned about himself as he's dealt with his major injuries. He acknowledged he bottled up his depression and anxiety, but he's finally found a place in life that will get him through.

He hopes by being open with his anxiety and depression, others will be able to do the same and find comfort. Burger said if just one person is helped by his candor, then it will all be worth it.

"I think a good way to start if you're struggling is looking at the positives around you," Burger said. "There's a lot more positives than what your brain lets on. There are a lot of worse things that you can be dealing with than an Achilles rupture. That's part of coping too.

"I'm still living; I'm living a great life. There are people who love me and I just go with the flow. If something negative happens, you just have to bounce back in the fight."

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or join the conversation on Twitter where his handle is @WyattWheeler_NL. You can also sign up for his free "Bears Beat" newsletter by subscribing on News-Leader.com.