Pirates Option Mike Burrows, Reassign Two Others

The Pittsburgh Pirates have made three more spring training cuts. Right-handed pitching prospect Mike Burrows has been optioned to the minor leagues. Additionally, fellow righties Sean Sullivan and Connor Sadzeck have been reassigned to minor-league camp.

Burrows, the Pirates’ No. 11 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, is still recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 24-year-old underwent the procedure at the end of April and is expected to be back at some point midsummer.

Burrows was originally drafted by the Pirates in the 11th round of the 2018 amateur draft. In five minor-league seasons, he’s gone 9-11 with a 3.34 ERA across 54 appearances/51 starts. In 207.2 innings, he’s struck out 232 batters and has walked 77.

Had he not gotten injured, Burrows seemed in line to make his major-league debut last season. He’s made 14 appearances with Triple-A Indianapolis from 2022-23.

Sullivan struggled in his three spring appearances. The right-hander allowed seven runs on eight hits in 2.1 innings pitched.

He spent all of last season with Double-A Altoona, where he went 8-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 24 appearances. Sullivan threw a career-high 113.2 innings on the year.

Sadzeck was one of the Pirates’ non-roster players invited to big-league camp after signing a minor-league deal. He made three appearances on the spring and totaled 2.1 innings. Sadzeck finished with a 15.43 ERA, five hits allowed, two walks and three strikeouts.

The right-hander has made 35 appearances at the major-league level, the last of which came with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2022.

The Pittsburgh Pirates now have 58 players in their big-league camp.