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Number 2 pick surpasses Paul Skenes with record-breaking bonus

VaselineJuly 18, 2024

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Number 2 pick surpasses Paul Skenes with record-breaking bonus

Former Vols baseball pitcher Chase Burns was selected second overall by Cincinnati in the 2024 MLB Draft on Monday, and the Reds paid him big money to sign his first contract.

Burns, who transferred from Tennessee to Wake Forest after the 2023 season, signed a record-breaking contract that includes a $9.25 million signing bonus, according to MLB.com. The bonus is the largest in MLB history, surpassing the $9.2 million bonus paid to former LSU pitcher and 2023 No. 1 overall pick and 2024 MLB All-Star Paul Skenes.

REQUIRED READING: Former Tennessee star Chase Burns selected by Cincinnati Reds in first round of 2024 MLB Draft

“Chase has the ability to be a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher at the Major League level, and do it quickly,” Reds scouting director Joe Katuska said in a team press release. “It’s a profile we always start with in the draft, and Chase fits the bill.

“We love the quality and depth of his pitch mix and his competitiveness. He’s made great strides since we first saw him pitch four years ago and we see him continuing on that path.”

The right-handed pitcher possesses perhaps two of the best pitches in the entire draft class, with a 65-grade fastball and 70-grade slider, according to MLB Pipeline. Burns regularly tops 100 mph with his fastball and was in the 90s as a junior in 2024.

Burns finished his lone season with the Demon Deacons with a 2.70 earned run average, striking out an astonishing 191 batters in 100 innings pitched. Burns finished with double-digit strikeouts in 12 of his 16 starts this year.

Chase Burns contract

Burns signed his rookie contract with the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, the team announced via social media. The signing bonus is reportedly worth $9.25 million, according to MLB.com.

The previous record of $9.2 million was set by Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, the former LSU pitcher who is already an MLB All-Star.