Skip to content
Sportscasting | Pure Sports
Home / MLB / Chase Burns’ Anticipated MLB Debut vs. Yankees is Must See TV

Chase Burns’ Anticipated MLB Debut vs. Yankees is Must See TV

Colin Lynch Written by Sports EditorColin Lynch
Updated –
We publish independently audited content meeting strict editorial standards. Ads on our site are served by Google AdSense and are not controlled or influenced by our editorial team.
Chase Burns' Anticipated MLB Debut vs. Yankees is Must See TV

Reds’ top pitching prospect Chase Burns makes MLB debut tonight vs. Yankees after blazing through the minors with electric dominance.

Some nights, baseball feels bigger than the standings. It’s not about playoff races or trade rumors. It’s about a debut—a first step into something greater. Tonight in Cincinnati, that moment belongs to Chase Burns.

A year ago, he was a college arm with promise. Tonight, he’s the Cincinnati Reds’ most anticipated pitching debut in years. After just 13 professional starts across three levels, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft will take the mound against the most iconic franchise in the sport. The New York Yankees. Aaron Judge. Under the lights. At home.

This is more than a matchup. It’s a statement. One that says the Reds aren’t waiting around for potential—they’re unleashing it.

The Bold Bet on Arm Over Bat

The 2024 draft was headlined by bats. Travis Bazzana, Charlie Condon, Jac Caglianone. All elite hitters. All expected to go before any pitcher. But Cincinnati saw something else. A fastball that hit triple digits. A slider that vanished. And the kind of presence on the mound that doesn’t come around often.

So, when Cleveland took Bazzana first, the Reds didn’t hesitate. They selected Chase Burns second overall—a move that turned heads not for shock value, but for clarity. They knew exactly who they wanted. And exactly what they needed.

Burns’ journey from Tennessee to Wake Forest showcased growth, both on the field and off. His command sharpened, his velocity ticked higher, and his confidence matured. The Reds bet on that total package. And so far, it’s been everything they hoped for.

From Prospect to Prodigy in 66 Innings

In just 66 innings across High-A Dayton, Double-A Chattanooga, and Triple-A Louisville, Burns did more than impress—he dominated. Eighty-nine strikeouts. Thirteen walks. A 1.77 ERA. A 0.77 WHIP. He didn’t just pitch well—he made it look easy.

Each level posed its test, and each time Burns answered. In his final Triple-A start, he struck out seven Yankees farmhands in seven innings. That was the last audition. Tonight is the call-up.

He becomes the first pitcher from the 2024 first round to debut. The first to take that leap. And the Reds are handing him the ball against Carlos Rodón and a lineup filled with thunder. It’s baptism by fire—and Burns has the flame to match it.

There’s no easing into Major League Baseball—not when your first test is the New York Yankees. Burns will face a team loaded with power, poise, and postseason experience. He’ll face Aaron Judge, who has homered in four straight seasons against Cincinnati and already launched 28 this year.

Judge has feasted on Reds pitching, hitting .327 in 45 plate appearances with four home runs. Burns isn’t just tasked with pitching well—he’s tasked with halting a freight train.

But there’s something poetic about this. A rookie standing in against a titan. A new era beginning against one already in full bloom. Burns has the stuff. The question now is: does he have the moment?

A Night That Could Echo

At 22 years and 159 days, Burns becomes the latest in a growing line of young arms making their mark early. Like Rhett Lowder before him, another Wake Forest product, he makes his debut in Cincinnati with high expectations and a city ready to believe. I played the Chase Burns over 5.5 strikeouts prop tonight. I hope we see the passionate and ecstatic Burns we’ve come to love at Wake and in the minors.

He’s not the youngest player on the field—Yankees phenom Jasson Dominguez owns that title—but he may be the most watched tonight. Fans will tune in not just for what Burns might do, but for what he represents: a future not far off, but happening now.

First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. ET. The lights will be bright. The pressure will be real. But for Chase Burns, this is what he was built for.

This is the beginning.

Colin Lynch Written by Sports EditorColin Lynch
Colin Lynch covers the NFL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the New England Patriots. His sports coverage has been featured on The Sports Daily and Basketball Insiders, as well as FanSided's Chowder & Champions. A New Hampshire native and former D1 baseball player at St. John's University, Colin was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2008 and enjoyed a four-year professional baseball career.
All posts by Colin Lynch
Other News