Chase Burns drafted 2nd overall by the Cincinnati Reds

Wake Forest baseball's Chase Burns was selected by the Cincinnati Reds with the second overall pick in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft on Sunday.

"Chase Burns has the chance to be a true No.1 for the Cincinnati Reds," head coach Tom Walter said. "Between his electric arm and compete gene the Reds got what I believe is the best arm in the class and Chase will be a valuable addition to the Reds staff for years to come. I'm so happy that he gets to join Rhett Lowder in the Cincinnati organization and look forward to watching that duo come up together.

The right-handed pitcher is the 11th Demon Deacon all-time taken in the first round of the draft and fifth in the last four years, joining new teammate Rhett Lowder (2023), Brock Wilken (2023), Ryan Cusick (2021) and Jared Shuster (2020). Additionally, he is the highest selected Demon Deacon in program history, surpassing Kyle Sleeth (3rd overall in 2003).

The Hendersonville, Tenn. native is the 55th Demon Deacon selected over the last 10 seasons. He is also the seventh Deac selected by the Reds all-time. He will join fellow Demon Deacon's Stuart Fairchild and Rhett Lowder in the organization.

Burns joins Demon Deacon legend Rhett Lowder (2022 & 2023 Honoree) as the program’s only ACC Pitcher of the Year recipients.

Burns finished the regular season as the nation's leader in strikeouts (169) and had 45 more punchouts than any other pitcher in the ACC.

His 169 strikeouts ranks fifth all-time in ACC single-season history.

The Hendersonville, Tenn. native also led the league in H/9 (5.58), K/BB (6.37), K/9 (17.19) and WHIP (0.92), while ranking in the top 10 nationally in each of the categories.

With his run from March 11 to March 25 and again from May 6 to May 20, Burns is believed to be the first ACC pitcher to take home three-straight Pitcher of the Week honors since at least 2000.

Additionally, Burns joined elite company, becoming just one of two Atlantic Coast Conference pitchers to win the award six times in a season. Burns is the only six-time winner in Wake Forest baseball program history.

He was untouchable in the month of May, compiling 57 strikeouts to just five walks for a 11.40 K/BB ratio and a ridiculous 19.73 K/9 ratio to go along with a 0.34 ERA in four starts.

The righty finished his career as the active Division-I baseball strikeout leaders with 408 career strikeouts, which leads fellow first-rounder in Arkansas' Hagen Smith (360 career strikeouts) by 48 strikeouts.

Burns' 2024 Awards and Honors:

2024 ACC Pitcher of the Year
2024 Dick Howser Trophy Finalist
2024 First Team All-American by D1 Baseball
2024 First Team All-American by Perfect Game
2024 First Team All-American by Baseball America
2024 First Team All-American by ABCA
2024 First Team All-American by NCBWA
2024 First Team All-ACC
2024 Golden Spikes Semifinalist
2024 NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year
2024 All-ACC Tournament
2024 ABCA Atlantic All-Region First Team
ACC Pitcher of the Week (May 20, 2024)
ACC Pitcher of the Week (May 13, 2024)
D1 Baseball Pitcher of the Week (May 13, 2024)
NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week (May 13, 2024)
Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List
ACC Pitcher of the Week (May 6, 2024)
ACC Pitcher of the Week (March 25, 2024)
ACC Pitcher of the Week (March 18, 2024)
ACC Pitcher of the Week (March 11, 2024)
D1 Baseball Pitcher of the Week (March 11, 2024)
NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week (March 11, 2024)
Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List
2024 Preseason Second Team All-American by D1 Baseball
2024 Preseason Second Team All-American by NCBWA
2024 Preseason Pitcher of the Year by Perfect Game
2024 Preseason First Team All-American by Perfect Game
2024 Preseason National Pitcher of the Year by Perfect Game
2024 Preseason ACC Pitcher of the Year by Perfect Game
2024 Preseason First Team All-American by Baseball America.

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