Mike Burrows

Burrows lacks the pedigree of Quinn Priester, but he's forced his way into the conversation as the Pirates' best pitching prospect. He's topped a 30 K% in each of the last two seasons, which he spent primarily at High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, respectively. That mark dipped significantly once he was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis - he posted a 23.3 percent K% across 42.1 innings -- though it's worth noting that Burrows had already thrown a career-high 52 innings by the time he earned that promotion. While it will be worth watching his ability to generate whiffs to begin the 2023 campaign, Burrows answered a few significant concerns about his performance in 2022 by throwing a career-best 93.1 innings and by showing significant growth in his ability to limit walks. After representing the Pirates in the Futures Game in 2023, the team added Burrows to its 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. That makes it clear that he's a key part of the team's rebuild, and he could team up with Roansy Contreras and Priester to form a dynamic top and middle of the rotation. Pittsburgh has added to its rotation this offseason, meaning Burrows will almost certainly break camp with Triple-A Indianapolis. However, it would not be surprising to see him make his debut in Pittsburgh at some point during the summer months. Read Past Outlooks