The Cincinnati Reds won't rush Chase Burns.
But their No. 1 prospect is certainly putting the pressure on.
Burns made his second start at Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday night, and he allowed a single run on three hits over seven dominant innings that included seven strikeouts.
The talented right-hander has now struck out 20 through 12.1 Triple-A innings.
He's ranked the No. 11 prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline.
Burns was the No. 2 overall pick in 2024 out of Wake Forest after beginning his college career at Tennessee.
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He hasn't missed a beat in pro ball, either.
The Reds have a number of solid starters, but they don't necessarily have a surefire ace. That's what it seems like Burns has the potential to become.
Teams are very careful with young pitchers, but it's a give and take situation. Sometimes the caution doesn't seem to matter in preventing injuries.
When Burns is ready, which may be now or very soon, the Reds shouldn't waste time. There's no reason to have one of the organization's best arms down at Triple-A, and Burns is showing with each outing that he definitely fits that description.
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