Report: Reds, 2nd overall pick Burns agree to draft-record $9.25M bonus

The Cincinnati Reds agreed to an MLB draft-record $9.25-million signing bonus with second overall pick Chase Burns, Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline reports.

Burns officially turned pro Thursday by inking his deal with the Reds.

Burns' record is just $50,000 more than the previous high set last year by Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. His bonus is also the highest ever given to a second overall pick, eclipsing the $9 million Dylan Crews received from the Washington Nationals in 2023.

His deal came in well below the No. 2 pick's slot value of $9,785,000.

Burns, who was born in Naples, Italy, was widely considered the top right-handed pitcher in this year's draft. The 21-year-old dominated in his junior year at Wake Forest after transferring from Tennessee, going 10-1 with a 2.70 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 191 strikeouts (17.2 K/9) over 16 starts for the Demon Deacons this past year.

Now that his deal is signed, Burns will travel to the Reds' spring training complex in Arizona. He'll get his first work as a professional next week.

"The biggest thing first is figuring out where he is in a throwing progression," scouting director Joe Katuska said, according to Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He still has some innings to throw (this year). But it's been a little bit since he was on the mound in a game situation. We're going to protect the long term and what the projection is for him."

Cincinnati selected a pitcher with its top draft pick for a second straight season after choosing Rhett Lowder seventh overall in 2023. The team also took a pitcher the last time it picked second in 2017 when the club chose 2024 All-Star Hunter Greene.