Beau Burrows had settled into his hotel room in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was ready to call it a night when his phone suddenly rang late on a Saturday evening.
Just two days earlier, on March 21, the Twins had unexpectedly released the right-handed pitcher from the minor-league contract he had signed in January. In response, Burrows and his wife, Emma, had decided to head to the Tarheel State to spend a week at Tread Athletics, a pitching and training facility, to stay in shape.
Reflecting on his recent experiences, Burrows shared with Phillies Nation, “It was a strange spring. Things didn’t go as planned with Minnesota, and I found myself released with a week remaining in spring training. Then, out of the blue, I received a call from the Phillies.”
His agent presented him with the opportunity to sign a minor-league contract with Philadelphia, prompting Burrows to quickly alter his plans in Charlotte and drive to the Phillies’ complex in Clearwater, Florida, the following day. He officially signed his contract on March 25 and completed the remainder of Spring Training with the team.
Subsequently, Burrows was assigned to Double-A Reading. As he stood inside the Fightin’ Phils’ new clubhouse at FirstEnergy Stadium on Tuesday for the team’s media day, he found himself as the sole player on the initial roster with major-league experience.
Recalling his journey, Burrows remarked, “I arrived in Clearwater with just a week left and managed to get a game under my belt with the Phillies. And now, here I am, ready for the opportunity.”
As Reading gears up to kick off its schedule at Bowie’s Prince George’s Stadium on Friday night, Burrows prepares to embark on his 10th season of professional baseball. It’s been a journey marked by ups and downs for the former first-round draft pick.