Jesse Cail Burkett (December 4, 1868 – May 27, 1953), nicknamed "Crab", was a left fielder in Major League Baseball from 1890 to 1905. He batted over .400 twice. After his playing career, Burkett managed in the minor leagues. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.

Burkett was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Granville and Ellen Burkett. His father was a laborer and painter who worked for the Wheeling and Belmont Bridge Company. Beginning his professional career as a pitcher, he won 27 games at the age of 19 in 1888 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and also compiled a 39–6 record for the Worcester Club of the New England League. He acquired his nickname, "Crab", due to his serious disposition.

Burkett made his major league debut for the New York Giants of the National League (NL) in 1890 and had a batting average of .309. He was then purchased by the Cleveland Spiders in February 1891 and played for them through the 1898 season. In 1892, he hit .275 and was among the league's top ten players in runs scored and triples. The next season, his batting average increased to .348 (sixth highest in the league) and drew 98 walks (fifth most in the league). He remained in the top ten in walks in almost every season throughout his career.

In 1895, he batted .405 and led the NL in batting average and hits (225). The following season, he set a career-high in batting average, at .410, and led the league in batting average, hits (240), and runs scored (160). Burkett was the second player in major league history to bat over .400 twice, the first being Ed Delahanty. The Spiders finished second in 1895 and 1896 and played the Baltimore Orioles both seasons in the Temple Cup series, beating the Orioles in 1895.

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