Phoenix — A year ago, Hiram Burgos was toiling away on the back diamonds of the Milwaukee Brewers' Maryvale complex.
Wrapping up his recovery from a shoulder clean-out that ended his 2014 season prematurely, the right-hander was about as far from the major leagues as he could be.
Yet Burgos persevered. He opened the season at high Class A Brevard County, moved up to Class AA Biloxi and finished at Class AAA Colorado Springs, improving his numbers at each stop.
Now this spring the 28-year-old Burgos finds himself back across the parking lot in Maryvale, and once again wearing a major-league uniform.