Reds top prospect Burns pitches well, Dragons drop opener

Chase Burns on starting his pro career in Dayton for the Dragons

Chase Burns on starting his pro career in Dayton for the Dragons
Sports
By Jeff Gilbert – Contributing Writer
April 5, 2025
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Chase Burns dominated in his professional debut Friday night.

Burns, the Cincinnati Reds’ top minor-league prospect, started the Dayton Dragons’ season opener and struck out six in four innings. He allowed only an infield hit and walked one.

But as soon as Burns left the Midwest League opener, West Michigan’s bats broke free with five runs in the fifth inning and coasted to a 7-0 victory in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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Nick Sando started the fifth inning for the Dragons and allowed a hit on his first pitch. Sando did not record an out and allowed all five runs on two hits and three walks. Joseph Menefee got the Dragons out of the fifth inning and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings. The Whitecaps added two runs in the eighth against Jimmy Romano.

Kevin McGonigle, the Detroit Tigers’ No. 3 prospect, knocked in four runs on two doubles to lead the Whitecaps.

Dayton had three hits, all singles, by Leo Balcazar, Anthony Stephan and Ricardo Cabrera.

The Dragons look for their first win at 2 p.m. Saturday with left-hander Adam Serwinowski on the mound.

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About the Author

Jeff Gilbert