Cincinnati Reds To Call Up Top Prospect Chase Burns

The top overall prospect in the Reds’ system has a 1.77 ERA and a 2.13 FIP across High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. Burns has been racking up strikeouts, as he has struck out 89 batters in 66 innings of work, giving him a strikeout rate of just under 37%.

The Reds are looking for a bit of help in the rotation, as their ace Hunter Greene is on the shelf with a groin/back injury, and initial replacement Wade Miley also went down this past week with an injury.

Burns will have a tough test to open his career, as he will be tasked with getting through a Yankee lineup led by Aaron Judge. It should be a really fun match-up that fans should fill Great American Ball Park to see.

The Wake Forest product is a flame thrower on the mound, as he can flirt with triple-digits on his fastball throughout his starts. His best offering, however, is a nasty slider that minor league hitters have just not been able to handle.

Burns will also mix in a changeup and a curveball for a different look, but the story for the 22-year-old begins and ends with the fastball-slider combo at this early point in his career.

In his final year at Wake Forest, Burns fell victim to a home run problem, as his fastball yielded an OPS just over .960 despite its high velocity. Yet, Burns has quickly improved in that regard this season, having given up only five homers in his 66 innings of work. The fastball shape and command will be key for him and his transition to the very hitter-friendly GABP.

If this profile sounds familiar, that’s because it should. The righty is very similar to Greene with his powerful fastball-slider combo and propensity for the long ball. We have seen Greene really develop in Cincinnati, as he gave up 24 home runs across 24 starts in his rookie year but steadily improved to give up 12 home runs in 26 starts in 2024.

The Reds are surely trying to develop Burns in the same manner as Greene. The question is, how soon can that happen?

As we approach July, the Reds find themselves still in the thick of the playoff race. It would help them take a huge step in the right direction if the former number two overall pick can be a real contributor right away in his big league career.

Is that fair to expect? Certainly not. But, the young righty has the attitude and moxie on the mound to be a real competitor and help this ballclub.

The other question for the young starter, as is a question for any starting pitching prospect, is how many innings will he be able to throw this season. Already at 66 innings pitched, Burns’ career high came last season at Wake Forest, when he threw 100 innings. How far beyond that can he go in 2025? How far beyond that are the Reds comfortable with him going?

Regardless, the fact of the matter is, in some way, shape, or form, Chase Burns is going to have the opportunity to make some real noise and help this club chase a postseason birth. Even when Greene does make his return to the rotation, it is hard to fathom Burns not being a part of this club in some way, as long as he is performing.

Burns is a fiery competitor on the mound, one who is really fun to watch. We will all get a chance to see that fire Tuesday night against the Yankees. It should be a fun one.