Pirates Pitching Coach Reveals What Makes Underrated Rookie Special

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a lot of young pitching talent right now, so much so that rookie Mike Burrows tends to fly under the radar. Burrows is 2-4 with a 3.99 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings this year, including a 1.50 ERA and a 2.03 FIP over his last five appearances.

With Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler and others having excellent seasons, Burrows has been easy to overlook. However, the future appears bright for the 25-year-old right-hander, who’s only gotten better as the season’s progressed.

Prior to Burrows’ most recent start against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday (in which he threw four innings of one-run ball), Pirates assistant pitching coach Brent Strom revealed what makes him special in an exclusive interview with SportsNet Pittsburgh.

“I was amazed by…his changeup that he owns right now. Really struck out to me that it’s a plus-plus pitch. It’s one of the best ones I’ve seen in baseball in all my years,” Strom said. “And also I liked his competitive nature…kind of a quiet confidence about him…He’s fearless.”

“I was amazed by his changeup. It’s one of the best ones I’ve seen in baseball in all my years. … I really think the Pirates have somebody who is going to be very, very good for them.”

Assistant Pitching Coach Brent Strom on Burrows ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/t34IF0tq2x

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) September 9, 2025

Strom’s also been impressed by how Burrows has responded to poor outings and dealt with failure, working hard to improve throughout the season.

“I really think the Pirates have somebody who’s gonna be very, very good for them,” Strom added.

At 76, Strom has seen a lot of baseball. He pitched in the Major Leagues for five seasons during the 1970s and has spent decades around the game as a player and coach. This is his first season with the Pittsburgh organization, and his wisdom and guidance appear to have had a positive impact on the team’s young arms.

With the Pirates shuffling their pitching staff to protect their young hurlers, it’s unclear when Burrows’ next start will be. Regardless, he’s been terrific down the stretch and will look to finish his season strong over the next few weeks.

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