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Former Tennessee Baseball Star Chase Burns Returns to Tennessee as Reds Starter for MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol

Former Tennessee pitcher Chase Burns will start for the Reds in the MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway. Here’s how the Tennessee native’s rapid rise continues on a national stage.
Josh Greer|
Tennessee pitcher Chase Burns (23) does a throat-slashing gesture while celebrating an inning-ending strikeout during game three of the NCAA baseball super regional between Tennessee and Southern Mississippi held at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Monday, June 12, 2023. Tennessee defeated Southern Miss 5-0 to earn a trip to the College World Series in Omaha.
Tennessee pitcher Chase Burns (23) does a throat-slashing gesture while celebrating an inning-ending strikeout during game three of the NCAA baseball super regional between Tennessee and Southern Mississippi held at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Monday, June 12, 2023. Tennessee defeated Southern Miss 5-0 to earn a trip to the College World Series in Omaha. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chase Burns is headed back to his home state for a historic MLB showcase. The former Tennessee Vols pitcher is the projected starter for the Cincinnati Reds when they take on the Atlanta Braves in the MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 2 (7:15 p.m. ET, FOX).

Burns, a Gallatin, Tennessee, native, is expected to draw a massive crowd as the hometown storyline fuels anticipation for Major League Baseball’s first game ever at the iconic NASCAR venue.

The Reds selected Burns with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, and he has wasted no time making his mark. After dominating the minor leagues with a 7-3 record, 1.77 ERA, and 89 strikeouts in 66 innings, Burns was called up for a June 24 debut against the New York Yankees.

Since then, the 21-year-old right-hander has gone 0-3 with a 6.26 ERA but has racked up 45 strikeouts in just 27⅓ innings. Despite the rocky start in the majors, Burns has struck out at least 10 batters in three straight starts, showcasing the elite stuff that made him a top pick.

Burns began his college career at Tennessee, pitching for the Vols in 2022 and 2023. He compiled a 13-5 record with a 3.54 ERA, striking out 217 batters across 152⅓ innings. As a freshman, he was a breakout starter, then transitioned into a dominant bullpen weapon in his sophomore year, going 5-3 with a 4.25 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 72 innings in 2023.

Following his Vols tenure, Burns transferred to Wake Forest for the 2024 season and was nothing short of historic. He posted a 10-1 record with a 1.91 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 100 innings, vaulting himself into the national spotlight and ultimately securing a record-setting 9.25 million dollar signing bonus, the largest in MLB Draft history.

With the MLB Speedway Classic bringing baseball to Bristol for the first time, Chase Burns’ return to Tennessee feels like a full circle moment. The spotlight will be bright, but few pitchers in baseball, college or pro, have embraced big moments quite like him.

From Lindsey Nelson Stadium to the College World Series to Yankee Stadium and now Bristol Motor Speedway, Chase Burns is writing one of baseball’s most fascinating early career stories.

And on August 2, he will be back on Tennessee soil, this time with the eyes of the nation watching.

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Josh Greer
JOSH GREER

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