Pirates signing former Tigers first-round pick might be a Bubba Chandler hint

Pitching depth in the Pirates' organization has looked pretty strong to start the season. That's especially true in Triple-A right now, with four of the top seven prospects being starting pitchers in Indianapolis. It seems like Pittsburgh might be accounting for some potential movement in that group, as the Pirates have now added Beau Burrows into that mix.

Burrows has split time in his career as a starting pitcher and reliever, but with how the roster is constructed in Triple-A, it is likely he will appear out of the bullpen ... that is, if there are no promotions to follow. Bubba Chandler is knocking on the doorstep of a promotion to Pittsburgh, and we can only hope that this signing corresponds with that move.

Regardless of the reasoning behind the signing, the key purpose that he will serve in this organization is to eat innings in the minor leagues. He has not been very successful in MLB, so he isn't a guy the Pirates are looking at to replace the weak spots within the big league bullpen.

Pirates sign Beau Burrows to a minor-league deal, who could potentially be the replacement in Triple-A for a Bubba Chandler promotion.

Burrows was, at one point, the second-ranked prospect in the Tigers organization, but is considered a bust. He made his debut in 2020, and posted a 5.40 ERA across 6.2 innings and put up a 1.35 WHIP. After that season, he struggled with Detroit and found his way over to Minnesota, finishing 2021 with a 13.91 ERA, a 2.36 WHIP and 6.55 K/9.

Since then, he has bounced around three different teams before landing a deal with the Pirates. In 2024 with the Phillies organization, his ERA jumped to 6.45 with a 2.01 WHIP.

Maybe he can find a groove with the Pirates, but it is unlikely that he will be a decent arm with Indianapolis. Although he was a solid prospect years ago, he has lost all of that and is barely earning a job with any team these days. It is possible that his signing was a special request by Don Kelly, since in 2017, when he was a big time prospect, Kelly was a scout and a part of player development with the Tigers.

All the excitement with this signing will be related to what happens afterward, whether it's signaling apromotion for Chandler, or perhaps another prospect rising from Triple-A.