Look: Cincinnati Reds Top Prospect Chase Burns to Make Professional Debut on Friday

Cincinnati Reds top prospect Chase Burns will make his minor league debut on Friday with the Dayton Dragons.

Burns was 10-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 100 innings at Wake Forest last season and the Reds selected the right-hander with the second overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

"Of course there is going to be pressure in anything you do," Burns told Fox 19's Joe Danneman. "Being the organization's first pick, you're going to have a lot of pressure, but I was I was built for that. I had that in college."

Burns spent the second half of 2024 out in Arizona at the Reds' minor league complex.

"Chase Burns is a hard-throwing starting pitcher who has reached 102 mph with his fastball and also possesses a slider that is graded higher by some scouts than the fastball, MiLB.com wrote."

The 22-year-old appeared in just one spring training game for the Reds, striking out three of the four batters he faced.

It wouldn't be surprising to see Burns shoot up the ranks quickly if he has success and follows a similar path to what Rhett Lowder did in 2024.

See the Dragons' Opening Day lineup below!

The Dragons open their 2025 season on the road tonight at West Michigan (Grand Rapids, Mich.) at 6:35 pm. Reds #1 prospect Chase Burns (pictured) will make his professional baseball debut.

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— Dayton Dragons (@DragonsBaseball) April 4, 2025