A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Burl played collegiately at Alcorn State University, where he hit. 298 with 5 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 2015. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 30th round later that year and began his professional career with their low-A affiliate in Vancouver.

In 2016, Burl played with the Toronto affiliate in the Appalachian League, the Bluefield Blue Jays, where he racked up 24 hits, 1 home run and 8 RBIs. Burl is a two-way player who also pitched while at Alcorn State, making 6 appearances on the mound.