Pirates Prospect Earns ROY Consideration
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have one prospect who currently stands out amongst the rest about national recognition.
Right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler is the No. 1 prospect in the Pirates minor league system and No. 15 in the minor leagues overall, according to MLB Pipeline.
Jim Callis of MLB.com wrote in his recent newsletter on March 18 that Chandler has a chance to join teammate and fellow pitcher Paul Skenes in winning National League Rookie of the Year in back-to-back seasons.
"Chandler isn't Paul Skenes-- there's only one of those -- but he certainly looked capable of giving the Pirates a second straight National League Rookie of the Year Award," Callis wrote.
Chandler played for North Oconee High School in Bogart, Ga., 60 miles east of Atlanta. He starred in multiple sports, including basketball, golf, football and baseball. He originally committed to Georgia to play baseball, but then decommitted and committed to Clemson to play both football and baseball.
He had a fantastic senior season for North Oconee, going 8-1 with just a 1.25 ERA, plus 96 strikeouts in 44.2 innings pitched, while hitting .411 with eight home runs, 12 doubles and 35 RBI.
The Pirates would select Chandler with the No, 72 overall pick in the Third Round of the 2021 MLB Draft and signed him for $3 millon signing bonus, an over slot signing.
He pitched and also played shortstop for the Rookie-Level Florida Complex Pirates in 2021 and 2022 and then earned promotion to the Bradenton Marauders in the Single-A Florida State League.
Chandler chose to focus on pitching heading into the 2023 season, which would show his best talents. He started 24 games for the Greensboro Grasshoppers in High-A, with a 9-4 record, 4.75 ERA in 106.0 innings pitched, making 120 strikeouts to 51 walks and holding hitters to a .265 batting average.
He made it up to Double-A with the Altoona Curve for just one game in 2023, allowing just one hit in five innings of work and getting the win.
Chandler played most of 2024 in Double-A, starting 16 of 19 games, a 6-7 record, one save, one shutout. He also had a 3.70 ERA in 80.1 innings pitched, allowing 55 hits, 33 earned runs and 26 walks, while making 94 strikeouts and holding hitters to a .192 batting average, along with having a 1.01 WHIP.
Chandler earned a promotion to Triple-A with the Indianapolis Indians on Aug. 8 and pitched even better than he did in Double-A.
He finished with 4-0 record in seven starts, a 1.83 ERA in 39.1 innings pitched, allowing just 26 hits, eight earned runs, two home runs and 15 walks to 54 strikeouts. He held opposing hitters to a .183 batting average and a 1.04 WHIP.
Chandler also excelled in his start vs. the Philadelphia Phillies in the MLB Spring Breakout game on March 14, which pitted the best prospects in each franchise against each other.
He pitched just two innings, but allowed no hits nor walks and finished with four strikeouts, with three coming in the second inning, as he struck out the side.
Chandler earned 2025 All-Spring Breakout First Team honors from MLB.com. for his peformance.
