Cincinnati Reds top prospect Chase Burns, the second overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, is set to make his MLB debut Tuesday against Carlos Rodon and the New York Yankees after just 13 minor-league starts.
Burns made his pro debut in April for the Single-A Dayton Dragons. He was promoted to Triple-A Louisville on June 9 and made two starts for the Bats.
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In May, Burns climbed 12 spots to No. 11 in MLB Pipeline’s latest top 100 rankings.
Reds top pitching prospect Chase Burns
What to know about Burns facing the Yankees in his first big-league start:
Burns is set to become the first pitcher from the 2024 first round to debut.
Four players selected in the first round of the 2024 draft – the Athletics‘ Nick Kurtz, the Royals’ Jac Caglianone, the Angels’ Christian Moore and the Astros‘ Cam Smith (drafted by the Cubs) – have made their MLB debuts. But Burns’ start against the Yankees would be the first in the big-leaguers by a pitcher selected in the 2024 first round.
Kurtz, the fourth overall selection in 2024, was Burns’ teammate at Wake Forest.
Burns is the same age Rhett Lowder was when he debuted for the Reds in 2024.
Lowder, the 7th overall pick in the 2023 draft who also pitched at Wake Forest, was 22 years, 175 days old when he made his big-league debut for Cincinnati on August 30, 2024, against the Brewers.
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Burns’ age, as of his expected June 24 MLB debut, will be 22 years, 159 days.
Burns and Lowder were not teammates for the Demon Deacons. While Lowder pitched for three seasons at Wake, Burns only pitched there for one season, after pitching his first two college seasons for the Tennessee Volunteers.
Burns’ last Triple-A start before his promotion came against the Yankees’ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
In his second start for Louisville, Burns impressed against the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, striking out seven while allowing just three hits and a run with no walks in seven innings in the Bats’ 8-1 win.
Only one player on the Yankees’ active roster is younger than Burns.
Outfielder Jasson Dominguez was born February 7, 2003, less than one month after Burns’ birthdate.
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Dominguez, who debuted in 2023 at age 20, didn’t face the Reds during his first three MLB seasons.
Aaron Judge has homered each of the past three seasons against the Reds.
Burns is looking to help Cincinnati hold Judge in check. Judge entered June 22 with 27 home runs, trailing only the Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh for the MLB lead this season.
In 41 career plate appearances against Cincinnati, Judge has batted .324 with three home runs. Of the three pitchers Judge homered against – Jeff Hoffman, Ben Lively and Sam Moll – only Moll still plays for the Reds.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds top prospect Chase Burns faces Yankees in MLB debut: What to know