Pirates Top Prospect Could Follow 'Skenes-Like' Path In 2025
The Pittsburgh Pirates could have another National League Rookie of the Year when the 2025 season is all said and done.
MLB.com writers Sam Dykstra, Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis picked a Rookie of the Year candidate for each team. For Pittsburgh, they chose its top prospect, right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler, to win the award. Chandler is the No. 15 overall prospect in baseball and the No. 2 pitcher by MLB Pipeline.
"Chandler not only reached Triple-A in 2024, he dominated, with a 1.83 ERA and 12.4 K/9 over seven starts, showing off elite-level stuff with plenty left in the tank," they wrote. "Even if he starts back at Indianapolis in 2025, it’s not difficult to envision a Skenes-like path for the 22-year-old right-hander, and we all know how that turned out this year."
Paul Skenes began the 2024 season with Triple-A Indianapolis before making his big league debut on May 11 against the Chicago Cubs.
Chandler also may not be the only pitcher to make their debut for Pittsburgh in 2025. Right-handed pitchers Braxton Ashcraft (No. 85) and Thomas Harrington (No. 91) also rank in MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects. The Pirates are the only team with three pitchers on that list.
Chandler strung together a stellar 2024 season, going 10-7 with a 3.08 ERA over 26 appearances, including 23 starts. He was especially dominant for Triple-A Indianapolis in his seven starts, going 4-0 with a 1.83 ERA over his 39 1/3 innings pitched while striking out 54 batters. He also held opposing hitters to a .183 batting average.
With the Pirates' pitching depth, including 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, Luis Ortiz and Bailey Falter, Chandler's path to the big leagues isn't a clear one. It may take an injury, a player underperforming or Chandler putting together a strong Spring Training and forcing the Pirates' hand when they cut their roster down to 26 players.
Regardless, it feels inevitable Chandler will appear in the big leagues sooner rather than later next season. If he can have a Skenes-like effect, Pittsburgh could be poised to have one of baseball's best starting rotations for the foreseeable future.
