Burns made quick work of his very first full-season assignment in 2025, earning a promotion from High-A to Double-A after three starts and ultimately jumping three levels in 11 weeks, debuting June 24 against the Yankees. He debuted less than a full calendar year after being drafted by the Reds as the No. 2 overall pick out of Wake Forest. The right-hander more than held his own in his first outing but then managed to record just one out against the Red Sox in his second career start. Showcasing elite fastball velocity and a big swing-and-miss slider (43.7 Whiff%), Burns recorded double-digit strikeouts four times in the span of five starts from July 11 to Aug. 8 before landing on the injured list with a right elbow flexor strain. Upon his return in September, Burns worked exclusively out of the bullpen, totaling nine innings across five relief appearances. He made another appearance out of the bullpen in the wild-card round. After a full offseason of rest, Burns is expected to re-enter the Cincinnati rotation in 2026. Read Past Outlooks