Atlanta Braves Scouting Report on LHP Thomas Burrows

Scouting Report

More from Tomahawk Take

• Braves News: New Year’s Eve comes with several questions about the 2023 Braves
• Braves News: How the Braves got their name, mailbag, more
• Atlanta Braves Mailbag: New Year’s Edition
• Braves News: Atlanta makes a pair of trades, prospect debuts, more
• Atlanta Braves History: How the Red Stockings became the Braves

Size/Delivery

Burrows is listed at 6’1 and 205 pounds, and those numbers look about right.

Burrows works from the first base side of the rubber in his delivery, and as his pictures show, he comes from a low 3/4 delivery to almost sidearm slot, which allows him to get a tough angle for hitters from both sides to square up.

Burrows does use a wind up when there are no base runners on, which is a rarity among guys who are primarily relievers.

He stays tall in his delivery, using a high leg lift to his numbers that he then takes a stride that leads a bit toward first base and then throws cross-fire from his lower arm slot.

He does finish in tremendous position to field, and I was impressed twice with his reactions off the mound on balls hit toward him, tipping a hot shot right to his second baseman and quickly grabbing a squibber and getting an out.

Pitches

Burrows operates with a two-pitch mix. His primary pitch is his fastball, which tops out at 94. He sits 91-93 frequently with the pitch. I did have a report of 96 on his velocity, so he could have another tick or two in the tank.

He likes to work with the pitch more low and outside on lefties. He throws more belt high and in on righties, which does get a bit of a jump-back from most righty hitters their first look at him as his arm angle makes the ball appear to be headed right for them.

His secondary pitch is a slider that has a hard bite. He works the pitch to both sides of the plate about knee high, and he’s willing to use the pitch on both lefties and righties.

I did notice that Burrows took a little off a few times on the slider to a righty hitter and got more of a sweeping action to the pitch, which he would then bury in the low-middle of the zone.

Next: Future outlook