Pirates Top Prospect Has Breakout Year
In a Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system filled with quality arms, one emerged above the rest and is knocking on the door to reach the big leagues.
MLB.com listed every team's prospect that improved their stock the most in 2024 and tabbed right-handed pitching prospect Bubba Chandler for the Pirates after he jumped from the No. 5 prospect to No. 1 for the Pirates. He also made a massive jump in MLB Pipeline's rankings, going from No. 93 to No. 15 and is the No. 2 pitching prospect, only trailing Detroit Tigers right-hander Jackson Jobe.
"Chandler wasn't exactly a secret to start the 2024 season as the Pirates' No. 5 prospect (No. 93 on the Top 100)," MLB.com writes. "But he got stronger and stronger as the 2024 season went on and looked ready to pound down the big league door with his finish in Triple-A this year. He finished with an impressive 11.1 K/9 rate, 22.3 K-BB percentage and 3.37 xFIP, vaulting him into the discussion of top pitching prospects in the game and perhaps giving the Pirates confidence to trade Luis Ortiz to Cleveland this offseason."
Chandler along with fellow right-handed pitching prospects Braxton Ashcraft and Thomas Harrington make Pittsburgh the only team to have three pitching prospects in MLB Pipeline's Top 100 rankings.
Chandler ascended the prospect ranks after a strong 2024 season capped with a stellar performance in Triple-A Indianapolis. The Pirates' top prospect with 10-7 with a 3.08 ERA and struck out 148 batters over 119.2 innings across Double-A Altoona and Triple-A. In Indianapolis Chandler made seven starts, going 4-0 with a 1.83 ERA and struck out 54 batters over 39.1 innings pitched while holding opposing hitters to a .183 batting average.
With Pittsburgh trading right-handed starting pitcher Luis Ortiz to the Cleveland Guardians for first baseman Spencer Horwitz, it made room for one of its pitching prospects to start the 2025 season in the big leagues. If Chandler can continue his success from last season, he'll have as good a chance as any of the Pirates prospects to earn a spot as the team's No. 5 starter to begin the 2025 season.
