Pirates prospect update: Bubba Chandler is dominant in most recent outing

There has been no stopping Bubba Chandler since being promoted to Triple-A.

On this edition of the Pirates Prospect Update series, we take a look at the most recent performance of pitcher Bubba Chandler, as he continues to showcase why he is the organization’s top rated Minor League player.

Last Tuesday’s outing was near perfect, as Chandler put together his best start at Triple-A to date. In a contest against the Rochester Red Wings, Chandler was on the mound for six innings as the Indians ran away with it, finishing the game 13-3. Chandler was awarded his fourth win at Triple-A, as he struck out 10 batters, allowing just one hit while walking two.

His four-seamer was the majority of what opposing batters saw, as he threw it 58 times that night, averaging 97.5 MPH. The 22-year old hurler was in full control from start to finish, topping out at 99 MPH on the day. With this most recent performance, he is primed for a spot with the Pirates next season.

In 25 games this season, Chandler has a 3.07 ERA with 140 strikeouts so far. His control has shown improvement throughout the season, and he has walked 12 less batters this season, with opposing hitters averaging just .182 against him. Chandler has really shown promise since being promoted to Triple-A in early August. With Indianapolis, he has four wins in four starts with an era of 1.59 and just six earned runs through 34 innings.

As this season closes, Chandler will be an exciting player to watch if he gets a spot in the Arizona Fall League, and certainly during Pirates’ Spring Training next year. Only having four starts in Triple-A could prevent him from starting the season with Pittsburgh, but at this point, it seems very likely that he sees some playing time with the Pirates in 2025.

Bubba Chandler is the Pirates’ highest rated prospect and is the 38th overall in baseball.