From Same Draft to Same Big-League Mound; Pirates’ Burrows and Ashcraft Reach Same Dream Together

PITTSBURGH — Though their roles are now different, Mike Burrows and Braxton Ashcraft came up through the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor-league system on a similar track.

Both players were selected by the Pirates in the 2018 draft. Ashcraft had his name called in the second round from Robinson High School in Texas. Nine rounds later, the Pirates took Burrows out of Waterford High School in Connecticut.

Both players had to overcome Tommy John surgery — Ashcraft in 2021 and Burrows in 2023.

On Wednesday night, both players pitched in the same game for the first time in the Pirates’ 3-0 win over the Houston Astros.

“We got drafted together, we were roommates in the GCL and at Pirate City, so it’s cool to be up here with him and be able to live each other’s success,” Ashcraft said following the win. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball. This is a dream to be in the big leagues and to be able to do that with somebody you came up with, struggled with and succeeded with, and then to see the success at the highest level, it’s really fun.”

Burrows earned his second Major-League win and his first as a starting pitcher. The right-hander got his first-career win out of the bullpen against the Yankees in New York in his debut at the end of last season.

Tuesday marked Burrows’ third big-league start, and it was by far his best.

After struggling in his first two starts of the season, the 25-year-old threw 5.1-scoreless innings and struck out six batters. Both marks set career-highs.

“He was awesome,” said manager Don Kelly. “We talked about being able to slow things down and he goes 3-0 on (Jeremy) Pena to start the game. He slowed it down immediately and ended up striking him out in that first inning. Just did a great job of mixing it up. His velo was up a little bit, mixed in the changeup, switched sides of the plate. Endy (Rodríguez) did a fantastic job calling it. He had a big strikeout there on (Jacob) Melton, tripled up on the changeup. Just did a great job.”

Ashcraft, meanwhile, had a big role in preserving the Pirates’ shutout.

In his third-career appearance, Kelly tasked the rookie right-hander to cover the seventh and eighth innings out of the bullpen. Ashcraft worked around a one-out single and struck out a pair in the seventh. He punched out another in a 1-2-3 eighth inning against the top of the Astros’ lineup.

“He doesn’t have much experience other than spring training out of the ‘pen, so for him to come out and just fire it like he does and make pitches and get outs, those strikeouts were huge,” Burrows said on his teammate.

Ashcraft has been a starting pitcher for the overwhelming majority of his career, but the Pirates shifted him to the bullpen when he was called up on May 26.

It’s been a smooth transition for Ashcraft, who has now logged 6.0-scoreless innings of relief to begin his career with the Pirates.

“His mindset has been unbelievable,” Kelly said on Ashcraft’s transition. “He wants the ball. You really have to go to take it from him. He just wants to keep pitching. And he’s willing to do anything to help the team win, whether that’s in the ‘pen, throwing multiple innings.”

It didn’t take long for Ashcraft to gain his manager’s trust to handle some higher-leverage spots. While he appreciates the trust that’s already been established, Ashcraft is focused on one thing no matter when the bullpen phone rings — winning.

“Any opportunity to help this team win is something that I enjoy being able to do. So, yeah, I mean it is nice to recognize they have this confidence in me,” he explained. “But at the end of the day, the job is to help the team win, and that’s what I’m focused on.”

Tuesday is the eve of the anniversary of Ashcraft getting drafted and two days shy of when an 18-year-old Burrows heard his name called.

Seven years later, the two rookies shared the spotlight on the mound at PNC Park in a shutout win for the Pirates.