Is a 2018 graduate of Waterford HS (Conn.), where he went 6–0 with a 0.38 ERA and 98 strikeouts over 44 innings as a senior...also threw a no-hitter his junior year, in which he struck out 21 batters...committed to the University of Connecticut out of high school...Was selected out of high school by Pittsburgh in the 11th round of the June 2018 draft...was offered an over-slot bonus to sign and forgo his commitment to UConn...signed by Pirates scout Eddie Charles...A native of Connecticut, Burrows is in a small fraternity of Major Leaguers from the Constitution State...only four other Connecticuters have played for the Astros in their franchise history: C Brad Ausmus (1259 G), OF George Springer (795 G), RHP Bill Dawley (157 G) and RHP Josh Zeid (48 G)...Growing up, Mike’s father was a huge Red Sox fan and would take Mike to Fenway Park as a child...at those games, he remembers singing along to Jonathan Papelbon’s entrance music, which was “I’m Shipping up to Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys...he became a huge fan of the game of baseball and of Red Sox pitchers Josh Beckett and Pedro MartÍnez...Mike says this is the part of his childhood that made him fall in love with the game and made him want to be a professional baseball player...he would go on to emulate Beckett’s delivery and tried to pitch with the same emotion and fire of Papelbon and MartÍnez...Burrows uses primarily a four-seam fastball (39.2%), but has had success with his offspeed pitches, a changeup (23.7%), slider (19.5%) and curveball (11.9%)...he ranks in the 97th percentile of MLB pitchers in Offspeed Run Value, per Baseball Savant...also added a two-seam fastball in the second half of the 2025 season, which coincided with him posting a 3.27 ERA over his final 55 innings...After spending eight seasons (2018-25) in the Pirates Minor League system, the Astros acquired Burrows this offseason in a three-team, six-player trade...as part of the deal, the Astros traded OF Jacob Melton and Minor Leaguer RHP Anderson Brito to the Rays...meanwhile, the Rays traded IF Brandon Lowe, OF Jake Mangum and LHP Mason Montgomery to the Pirates, and Burrows got dealt to the Astros...Enters the 2026 season with just 135 days of Major League service, making him under club control for the next six seasons (2026-31).
2025
Pitched most of the season with the Pirates, making 23 appearances (19 starts) and going 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA (42 ER/96 IP)...struck out 97 hitters in 96.0 IP...Had two Major League stints on the year, from April 24-25 and from May 21 thru the end of the year...Had a strong second half with the Pirates, posting a 3.27 ERA (20 ER/55 IP) in 13 games (10 starts)...in that span, allowed one-or-fewer runs in seven of his last eight appearances, posting a 2.22 ERA (seven ER/28.1 IP) in those games, which spanned from Aug. 16 thru the end of the year...did not allow a homer over a 26.1-inning span from Aug. 16-Sept. 21...Finished tied for third in the NL in strikeouts by a rookie (97)...trailed only Chad Patrick (127), Brad Lord (108) and was tied with Cade Horton...Worked as both a starter (19 G) and reliever (four G)...had a 4.15 ERA (40 ER/86.2 IP) in his 19 starts...Earned his first win as a starter in the big leagues on June 4 vs. HOU, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out six batters over 5.1 scoreless innings...Had a 3.47 ERA (9 ER/23.1 IP), with 25 strikeouts and a .198 opponent batting average in five July starts...Went 2-1 with a 2.51 ERA (9 ER/32.1 IP) and 41 strikeouts in his eight outings (seven starts) at Triple A Indianapolis on the season...At the time of his last promotion on May 21, ranked second in the International League with a 1.02 ERA, 28 K’s and a 0.85 WHIP.
2024
Began season on the 60-day injured list (rehabbing from right elbow surgery on 4/26/23)...Began a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League on 6/17; walked two batters and was charged with three runs in 1.1ip (28 pitches/14 strikes)...Had rehab transferred to Bradenton on 6/21...Tossed 1.2 innings and allowed one run on 6/23 vs. Lakeland...Had rehab transferred back to the FCL Pirates on 7/16...Gave up six hits and four runs in 2.2ip on 7/18 against the FCL Twins...Had rehab transferred to Indianapolis on 7/25; allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts in 4.0ip at Iowa... Suffered the loss on 8/2 vs. Toledo (3.1ip/4er/7so)... Pitched 5.0 scoreless innings of relief on 8/8 at Nashville... Struck out 10 batters and surrendered three runs in 5.0ip while winning the season finale on 9/22 at St. Paul...Posted a 1-3 record, a 5.26 ERA (51.1ip/31r/30er) and 59 strikeouts in 16 Minor League games (15 starts) overall... Was recalled from the Minor Leagues on 9/28...Made his Major League debut on 9/28 at Yankee Stadium; pitched 3.1 innings in relief of Paul Skenes (2.0ip) and was credited with his first big league win.
2023
Entered the season listed by Baseball America as being the ninth-best prospect in the Pirates' system...Made two starts for Triple-A Indianapolis, but left his start on 4/8 with a right forearm injury and was placed on the injured list on 4/11...Underwent Tommy John surgery on 4/26 and missed the remainder of the season...In total, posted a 2.70 ERA (6.2ip/2 er) with three strikeouts and .174 opponents average in his two outings prior to the injury.
2022
Entered 2022 season listed by Baseball America as having the “Best Curveball” in Pittsburgh’s minor league system...Was also ranked by FanGraphs as Pittsburgh’s 12th-best prospect entering the 2022 season...Was added to the Bucs' 40-man roster on 11/15...Split the season between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, combining to go 5-6 with a 4.01 ERA (94.1ip/42er) in 24 games (22 starts)...Went 4-2 with a 2.94 ERA (52.0ip/17er) and 69 strikeouts in 12 starts with Altoona before being promoted to Indianapolis on 6/16...Opened the season with a 1.00 ERA (18.0ip/2er) over four starts in April, holding the opposition to a .164 batting average in that time...Was selected to represent the National League in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in Los Angeles on 7/16, tossing a scoreless fifth inning with a strikeout and a walk...After his promotion to Indianapolis, went 1-4 with a 5.31 ERA (42.1ip/25er) and 42 strikeouts in 12 games (10 starts)... Posted a 2.10 ERA (25.2 ip/6 er), 27 strikeouts and a .189 opponents average over a seven-game (five start) span from 7/12-8/28...Was placed on the 7-Day Injured List from 8/30- 9/28 with right shoulder inflammation.
2021
Entered season ranked by Baseball America as Pittsburgh’s 24th-best prospect... Spent entire season with High-A Greensboro, where he allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his 13 starts... Struck out eight batters in 4.0 scoreless innings while not allowing a hit in season debut on 5/7 vs. Hickory...Tossed 4.0 scoreless innings in his next start on 5/14...Had his 11.0-inning scoreless streak end in his next outing on 5/21 while also suffering the loss (4.1ip/3r/1er)... Ended the month of May with a 1.13 ERA (16.0ip/4r/2er) in four starts while also posting a .115 batting average against and 0.69 WHIP... Picked up his first win with the Grasshoppers in game one of a doubleheader on 6/10 at Hickory (5.0ip/1er)... Was placed on the injured list on 7/16 with a left oblique strain... Was reinstated on 9/7 and tossed 2.0 scoreless innings that night at Jersey Shore... Allowed seven runs in 3.0 innings in Game One of the High-A East League championship series... Surrendered one run in 2.0 innings while making the start in Game Five of the championship series at Bowling Green... Went 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA (15.1ip/6er) and 16 strikeouts in five appearances (one start) while pitching for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.
