​Over the past several days, the Texas Longhorns had plenty to celebrate as the 2026 MLB Draft wrapped up. A handful of familiar names heard their names called, including right-handed reliever Thomas Burns. After a memorable chapter in Austin, Burns is poised to continue refining his craft under the Minnesota Twins’ tutelage and guidance.
During his time with the Longhorns, Burns appeared in 42 games, posting a 4.59 ERA while striking out 83 batters. He emerged as one of the key pieces in Texas’s bullpen, a Wisconsin native who held opponents to a .183 batting average. Burns also managed to keep hard contact to a minimum, surrendering only seven home runs across his collegiate career. He was trusted in high-leverage situations, showcasing his ability to close out critical innings. Burns finished his tenure at the Forty Acres with eight saves, illustrating his effectiveness in late-game scenarios and his knack for delivering when the stakes were highest.
The Twins prioritized Burns in the eighth round, recognizing his potential and versatility despite some areas still ripe for refinement. They were willing to take him earlier in the draft, but Burns slid just enough to keep him within their grasp. The organization believes his skill set translates well to a major-league environment, where his mix of experience and ceiling could make him a standout contributor.
Burns brings an intriguing arsenal to the Twins’ system. His fastball generates substantial backspin, making it challenging for hitters to square up the baseball. Complementing that heater is a cutter that consistently dives away from right-handed batters, creating a complementary look that plays off his fastball effectively. If Burns can add another pitch to round out his repertoire, the combination could become particularly difficult for major-league hitters to handle.
As Burns embarks on the next chapter of his baseball career, he’ll have a trusted teammate to lean on within the Twins organization. Earlier in the draft, Minnesota selected Burns’s catching battery mate from college, Carson Tinney, a catcher regarded as one of the best in the SEC. The pairing of Tinney and Burns within the same system gives Longhorns fans multiple Texas ties to follow as both players pursue their professional aspirations. This new chapter will also offer Burns a path to the majors more quickly, provided he continues to develop and adapt to higher levels of competition.
With his college career now complete, Burns can devote his efforts to proving he belongs at the highest level, focusing on the steps needed to reach the big leagues as soon as possible. He enters the Twins organization with the goal of accelerating his development and maximizing his impact, both in the minors and, ultimately, on the diamond at the sport’s highest tier. As Burns trains and adjusts to professional life, supporters will be watching closely to see how his repertoire evolves, how quickly he can translate his college success to the professional game, and how soon he might contribute at the major-league level.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Minnesota Twins draft former Longhorns reliever Thomas Burns in 8th round for better SEO.