Tulane Green Wave Baseball Pitcher’s Return Two Years in Making
A torn UCL that leads to Tommy John surgery typically leads to a long recovery process. Pitchers are highly susceptible to the injury.
In most cases, the recovery can take 12 to 18 months. Pitchers need time to recover, build the arm back up physically and then build up their ability to pitch.
Once they’re ready for a game, most start the road back slowly, such as the Tulane Green Wave’s Wes Burton earlier this week.
The imposing 6-foot-8 right-hander pitched one inning in Tulane’s 5-3 win over Southeastern Louisiana. He struck out one and didn’t give up a run.
It doesn’t sound like much, does it? One inning of work in an early February game. But, in Burton’s case it was nearly two years’ worth of work to pitch one inning in an early February game.
Burton was with the Indiana Hoosiers in 2023, where he pitched in 12 games and didn’t figure in a decision. He had a 3.86 ERA, striking out 17 and walking 14 in 14 innings. In four years of college — he started his career with the Ole Miss Rebels in 2020 — he hadn’t pitched much. He had 36 appearances and one start before he threw for Tulane on Thursday.
But he didn’t pitch last season for the Green Wave. He tore the UCL in his throwing arm and needed Tommy John surgery.
His recovery eliminated his chance to pitch in the 2024 season. So, his appearance against the Lions on Thursday marked his first live game action in 645 days, including 441 days of rehabilitation for the injury.
The Green Wave’s social media account marked the occasion with a post celebrating his debut and some video of his appearance.
For the first time in 645 days… @Wes55Burton is back on the bump!
— Tulane Baseball (@GreenWaveBSB) February 20, 2025
After 441 days of rehab post-Tommy John surgery, Wes was throwing straight 🔥 last night. It’s good to have our guy back!#RollWave🌊⚾️ pic.twitter.com/Xiy1SZj0Sm
This will be his last chance to impress Major League scouts, and the Green Wave have been a program pro scouts have gravitated toward in recent years.
Burton is just hoping for a healthy season. The Santa Monica, Calif., produce was one a four-year letterwinner at his high school, earning 2019 California All-Region first team and 2019 preseason underclassmen high honorable mention all-American. In his final year of prep baseball, he finished with a 5-1 record with a 1.19 ERA and 47 strikeouts.
