Cincinnati Reds select Wake Forest pitcher Chase Burns in 2024 MLB Draft

Former Tennessee, current Wake Forest pitcher Chase Burns has been selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft with the No. 2 overall pick.

Burns, who starred on the mound for the Volunteers during his two seasons in Knoxville, transferred to Wake Forest ahead of the 2024 season. There, he went on to win ACC Pitcher of the Year in 2024.

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During the 2024 season, Burns (10-1) was the Demon Deacons’ ace on the mound posting a 2.70 ERA and .92 WHIP as a junior. Across 100.0 innings pitched, Burns allowed 32 runs while striking out a staggering 191 batters during his first season at Wake.

His strikeouts totaled fifth all-time in ACC single-season history at the end of the regular season.

In May alone, Burns recorded 42 strikeouts compared to three walks and an 18.90 K/9 ratio to go along with a 0.45 ERA across three starts before ultimately being crowned his conference’s top pitcher.

Before Wake, Burns entered the 2023 season as a preseason All-SEC selection. He would finish the year with a 5-3 record with a 4.25 ERA in 18 appearances, including eight starts.

Arguably his most prolific performance in Tennessee orange came at the College World Series when he threw 6.0 innings of relief, striking out nine and allowing just two hits to propel Tennessee past Stanford for the Volunteers’ first victory at the CWS since 2001.

Burns has been known to throw over 100 mph on his fastball on occasion but typically operates at a 97-99 mph average. He utilizes a slider in the upper 80s that generated a 60 percent swing and miss rate over the past two seasons. Burns also works a low-80s curveball into his arsenal.

“Burns rarely uses his upper-80s changeup but it can be a plus pitch with significant fade when it’s on,” his MLB scouting report reads. He has a history of throwing strikes and has improved his overall command this spring, though he’s still going to need to locate his fastball with more precision at the next level. He has the ceiling of a frontline starter but comes with a bit of reliever risk.”

Before college, Burns was ranked as a Top 100 prospect by Perfect Game (No. 17) and was the No. 1 player from Tennessee. In his senior season in high school, Burns finished 6-0 with a 0.50 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 56.1 innings pitched in 2021.