Five Biggest Tigers’ Draft Busts Since 2000: Number Four

The first of four pitchers on this list comes in as the fourth-biggest draft-day bust for the Detroit Tigers since 2000.

I’ve gone through and broken down who I believe are the five biggest draft busts for the Detroit Tigers since the turn of the century.

After the lone hitter landed at number five, we now move into four consecutive pitching prospects who let down Tigers fans and the organization, with each new player bringing an even bigger disappointment.

Kicking things off for the pitchers is a player who was expected to help guide the Tigers through some of their darkest days.

The 2015 MLB Draft was loaded with talent. Players like Alex Bregman, Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker and Ian Happ were all part of the class. The Tigers held the 22nd overall pick and decided to use it to add another pitching prospect to their organization.

Detroit entered the draft coming off four consecutive American League Central titles. While nobody knew it at the time, the organization was about to enter a decade-long stretch of struggles, and the players selected in drafts like this one would be counted on to help turn things around.

That's when Detroit decided to add more pitching depth by selecting Beau Burrows in the first round.

Burrows attended Weatherford High School in Weatherford, Texas, where he put together an impressive senior season in 2015. He finished with a 9-3 record and a remarkable 0.89 ERA, striking out 132 batters across 71 innings pitched.

Those numbers made Burrows an intriguing pitching prospect, and the Tigers were hopeful that his development would eventually pay dividends at the major league level.

Burrows spent five years working his way through the minor leagues before finally getting his opportunity during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

He made his major league debut and appeared in five games, all out of the bullpen. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Across 6.2 innings, Burrows allowed eight hits, four earned runs and three home runs. He finished with an ERA above 5.00 and managed just three strikeouts.

The following year, in 2021, Detroit gave Burrows another opportunity, but it would be his last with the organization.

In his lone appearance that season, Burrows pitched just 1.2 innings and surrendered another four earned runs. While battling the hot and humid Michigan summer heat, Burrows became sick on the mound and vomited during the outing. He was subsequently pulled from the game.

That marked the beginning of the end for Burrows in Detroit. After waiting five years for its first-round pitching prospect to develop, the organization had finally moved on, designating him for assignment.

Less than a week later, Burrows signed with the division-rival Minnesota Twins. Minnesota gave him an opportunity in five games, but the results were even worse. He pitched 9.1 innings and surrendered 13 earned runs, finishing with a 12.54 ERA.

That would be the last time Burrows appeared in a major league game.

He bounced around the minor league systems of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves over the next few years, but he never managed to live up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of high school.

After posting a sub-1.00 ERA during his senior season, Burrows looked like a promising young arm who could eventually make an impact in Detroit. Instead, his major league career lasted just a handful of appearances, making him another disappointing first-round selection for the Tigers.

Continue reading the series:

Tigers' Biggest Draft Busts Since 2000: [Number One]

Tigers' Biggest Draft Busts Since 2000: [Number Two]

Tigers' Biggest Draft Busts Since 2000: [Number Three]

Tigers' Biggest Draft Busts Since 2000: [Number Five]