Cincinnati Reds Sign Chase Burns to Record Bonus

Chase Burns, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, has signed a record-setting $9.25 million bonus with the Cincinnati Reds, surpassing the previous high of $9.2 million set by Paul Skenes in 2023. Burns, a right-hander from Wake Forest, was ranked as the third-best prospect by CBS Sports and the top right-handed pitcher of the draft. His signing bonus, though a record, is still below the slot value of $9.785 million for the No. 2 pick, allowing the Reds to allocate the savings elsewhere. Burns transferred from Tennessee to Wake Forest to enhance his pitching skills and finished his junior year with a 2.70 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 100 innings. He is the first of the top three draft picks to sign a contract, with the No. 1 and No. 3 picks still unsigned.