The Cincinnati Reds will be promoting one of baseball’s leading pitching prospects this week. Right-hander Chase Burns, the second overall pick from last summer’s draft, is set to debut in the major leagues on Tuesday night against the New York Yankees at Great American Ball Park, according to General Manager Brad Meador. This decision comes following the injury of veteran lefty Wade Miley, who was placed on the injured list due to a flexor strain.
“We’re trying to give ourselves every chance to win and stay competitive, and right now we believe Chase offers us the best opportunity to do that. It’s time for him to step up,” Meador stated to the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Our team has been resilient and fought hard, especially after losing Hunter Greene and now Wade Miley. This promotion may have come sooner than anticipated, but we think he’s prepared.”
Greene has been sidelined since June 3 with groin and back problems, which are expected to keep him out for an extended period. Additionally, the Reds have also lost key rotation members Rhett Lowder, Carson Spiers, and Brandon Williamson to injuries, opening a chance for Burns to join the team.
At 22 years old, Burns has excelled in the minor leagues this season with an impressive 1.77 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 66 innings pitched. Data from Triple-A Statcast indicates his fastball has averaged 98 mph, occasionally reaching up to 100.5 mph, while batters have struggled against his slider, missing half their swings.
The former Wake Forest star is poised to deliver high-caliber pitching to Cincinnati’s rotation.
R.J. Anderson ranked Burns as the 15th-best prospect in baseball heading into 2025, and he is currently viewed as the third-best pitching prospect behind Jackson Jobe (Detroit Tigers) and Andrew Painter (Philadelphia Phillies). There’s an argument to be made that he could be the top prospect in the minors at this time.
Burns will be the first pitcher and the sixth player from the 2024 draft class to reach the major leagues, joining Jac Caglianone (Kansas City Royals), Nick Kurtz (Athletics), Ryan Johnson, Christian Moore (Los Angeles Angels), and Cam Smith (Houston Astros).
The Reds lost a recent game against the St. Louis Cardinals (6-5 in 11 innings), marking their third consecutive defeat. Before this streak, they won nine of eleven games, bringing them back into contention for the postseason. Currently, the Reds hold a record of 39-38 with a +31 run differential, sitting 7.5 games behind in the NL Central but only three games off the third wild-card spot with plenty of season left to play.
