Reds must lock up this rising star before it’s too late

For those who are unaware, it's officially contract extension season throughout Major League Baseball. A number of long-term deals will be negotiated over the next couple of months, and the Cincinnati Reds have an obvious candidate for a contract extension staring them right in the face.

While a case could be made for starting catcher Tyler Stephenson — who'll be a free agent after the 2026 season — or up-and-coming top prospect Sal Stewart, the Reds should make every effort this spring to sign flamethrower Chase Burns to a long-term contract before he become a star.

Reds must sign Chase Burns to a contract extension before it’s too late

Shortly after the 2023 season began, the Reds announced they'd come to terms with Hunter Greene on a six-year, $53 million deal. Greene had just finished up his rookie campaign in 2022 and Cincinnati's leadership jumped at the opportunity to lock up the young hurler beyond his arbitration window. Greene's deal is a worth an average of just $8.3 million per season and runs through 2029; a bargain by all accounts.

Prices for starting pitching have gone up a bit since Greene signed his contract a little less than three years ago. Two-time Cy Young Award-winner Tarik Skubal just won a record-breaking arbitration case and will take home $32 million in what's likely to be his final season with the Detroit Tigers. If the Reds want to avoid a similar situation with Burns, they'd be wise to work out a long-term pact this spring.

Frankly somewhere in between Greene's six-year, $53 million deal with the Reds and Spencer Strider's six-year, $75 million extension with the Atlanta Braves would probably be a good place to start, and may be enough to secure Burns' services over the long haul.

Is there risk that comes with extending such a volatile arm? Of course. But Cincinnati's gamble to wait or attempt to extend Burns at a later date could prove to be far more costly. The Reds can't compete with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets when it comes to free agent spending. Their best bet to remain competitive year in and year out is identify elite, in-house talent, and sign them to long-term deals before they turn into superstars.

The Reds missed their window with Elly De La Cruz. They can't afford to do that with Burns. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft made 13 appearances last season, struck out 67 batters in just 43⅓ innings of work, and has all the makings of a front-of-the-rotation starter. The Reds can't afford to let this opportunity pass them by.