Few pitchers go from Draft to ASG in 2 years. Burns is one of them

This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CINCINNATI – The road from Cincinnati to the All-Star Game in Philadelphia could be renamed the Chase Burns Expressway.

Burns was taken second overall in the MLB Draft on July 14, 2024. Exactly two years later on July 14, 2026 – aka next Tuesday – the 23-year-old will experience the Midsummer Classic for the first time.

“That’s pretty cool," said Burns, who was selected with rookie teammate Sal Stewart. "I never thought I’d be in a spot like this to have an opportunity to go pitch in an All-Star Game. I kind of got to give a pat on my back for how disciplined I was and the hard work I put in during the offseason. I’m just thankful for the opportunity God has given me.”

Achieving All-Star status in two years or fewer has become more common. This year alone, Burns is one of three players from the '24 Draft to make it, along with the Guardians' Travis Bazzana (No. 1 overall) and the A's Nick Kurtz (No. 4). Bryce Harper (2010 Draft, 2012 All-Star), Jacob Wilson (2023 Draft, 2025 All-Star) and Kris Bryant (2013 Draft, 2015 All-Star) have also done it.

But it's less common for pitchers. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, here are the last five pitchers before Burns to be selected to the All-Star Game within two years after they were drafted:

Paul Skenes: 2023 Draft, 2024 ASG
José Fernández: 2011 Draft, 2013 ASG
Chris Sale: 2010 Draft, 2012 ASG
Aaron Crow: 2009 Draft, 2011 ASG
Tim Lincecum: 2006 Draft, 2008 ASG

"Normally you see that big jump in progression when you’re in the Minor Leagues," manager Terry Francona said. "But because guys are getting here so quickly, you’re starting to see that here. The problem can be if you’re not good, you get beat up. But the good ones you see are getting better and developing.”

Burns did not pitch in '24 after being selected out of Wake Forest and made only 13 Minor League starts before his big league promotion. In an electric debut on June 24, 2025, vs. the Yankees, he struck out his first five batters and eight overall in five innings.

Although he had four 10-strikeout games in 2025, Burns only pitched six innings twice in eight starts. He also missed a month with a right flexor strain and moved to the bullpen for the final month and a game in the postseason. Overall, he was 0-3 with a 4.57 ERA in 13 games in his debut campaign.

"He's extremely mature as a pitcher," Reds 2024 All-Star pitcher Hunter Greene said. "He's done such a good job navigating everything. He's transitioned very well at this level. Especially not having the workload in the Minor Leagues, where he's thrown 150, 180-plus innings. He hasn't been able to do that. He trusts himself. I'm happy for him. Definitely not going to be his last All-Star [Game]."

In 2026 Spring Training, Burns had to compete for a rotation spot. At one point, his camp progression was shortened in what was called a "deload," so he could take more time to develop a better routine between starts to manage arm fatigue and improve flexibility.

Burns also learned from his whirlwind 2025 season.

“I think that’s my personality, just trying to learn every day, trying to get better every day," he said. "It’s a long season, so if you can improve one percent every day then you’re going to be OK.”

Amid a rotation that saw Greene and Nick Lodolo begin the season on the injured list and Rhett Lowder join them in May, Burns emerged as the beacon. He is 10-1 with a 2.40 ERA in 17 starts and 97 1/3 innings. He leads the Major Leagues with 15 starts with two or fewer runs allowed and Cincinnati has a 13-4 record in his games. And his 4.3 Baseball Reference WAR is second among all MLB pitchers behind Cristopher Sánchez of the Phillies (4.9).

In other words, Burns' development accelerated quickly.

“I think that’s what the hope was," Francona said. "It was like, ‘Hey, we know that there’s going to be hiccups. It’s unrealistic, but learn fast.’ That was the big thing we said. He is certainly doing that.”

Burns has achieved all of this mostly with two pitches, a four-seam fastball that often touches 100 mph and a slider. He still has a 32.8 percent swing-and-miss rate that is in the 92nd percentile in MLB. His slider has a 53.7 percent whiff rate that's tied for fourth-best among any pitch in MLB.

“Mentally, I feel like I’m a different pitcher out there," Burns said. "I’ve grown a lot with my routine throughout the week with my throwing, my process.”