The blueprint for Astros' Mike Burrows to become a rotation mainstay

Mike Burrows was about as dominant as you can be as a high school pitcher. During his senior year, he went 6-0 with an astounding 0.38 ERA and 98 strikeouts across 44 innings of work. 

That would be good enough to get the Pittsburgh Pirates' attention, and they ended up selecting him in the 11th round of the 2018 MLB Draft.

He would go on to sign with Pittsburgh, forgoing his decision to play baseball for the University of Connecticut. 

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Burrows would spend a few seasons in the minors before he got his call-up late into the 2024 season. However, he would be sent back down to Triple-A, where he pitched all year in 2025. 

In December, Pittsburgh decided to move on from the RHP, engaging in a three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays and Houston Astros, where Burrows would end up. 

While much of the attention will be on Houston's other new arm, Tatsuya Imai, Burrows may take a backseat. But, he does have the stuff that could make him a rotation mainstay, and Houston always seems to get the most out of their pitchers. 

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter believes he could be something special if the Astros can maximize his fastball.

"The Astros paid a steep price to acquire Burrows, sending outfielder Jacob Melton and right-hander Anderson Brito the other way, but with club control through 2031 and promising early results, he has the potential to be a long-term piece. His changeup was an elite offering last season, limiting opponents to a .147 average with a 43.1 percent whiff rate, and the Astros have a knack for maximizing a pitcher's fastball."

Burrows had an elite changeup, and while not mentioned, his 12-6 curveball is devastating. He is coming into the season, so it will be interesting to see how he fares this year.

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