KCB

Tanner Burns, P

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Scouting report

I'm a little lighter on Burns than the industry consensus, which tends to have him as a low variance 45 FV arm. I don't think statistical success for SEC pitching necessarily translates to pro ball (see: Pilkington, Konnor) and Burns is a squat guy with a high-effort delivery whose stuff is just okay. He was up to 97 before his junior year but I have him sitting 90-92 and touching 95 during the college season, then throwing about that hard in a single-inning Fall outing with Cleveland. Burns does have a tight slider in the 78-81 mph range; his curveball velocity band overlaps with the slider a bit but it has distinct shape. He also throws a mid-80s changeup with sink, but worked very, very heavily off the fastball in college. I'd like to see his secondary usage increase in pro ball. Burns also has advanced pitchability elements, and he'll vary his delivery home to mess with hitters' timing. He profiles as a four-pitch rotation piece who'll outpace my projection if he can either a) show he can execute all his secondary pitches consistently or b) add velocity. I think the former is more likely. (Fall Instructional League)