Pirates Promote Top Prospect Bubba Chandler to Pitcher Role

The Pittsburgh Pirates are set to promote Bubba Chandler, a highly regarded pitching prospect ranked as the top in baseball by MLB Pipeline, from Triple-A Indianapolis. While Chandler has been a starter in the minors, the Pirates plan to initially use him as a bulk reliever to gain major league experience, similar to the approach taken with Braxton Ashcraft. Chandler has shown impressive raw talent, including a fastball that regularly touches 100 mph, paired with a strong changeup and developing secondary pitches. This season, he has posted a 4.05 ERA with 121 strikeouts over 100 innings but has struggled with command at times. Although the Pirates envision Chandler as a future starting pitcher, possibly joining the rotation as early as next season, he is expected to get a few starts towards the end of this year. Chandler, a former two-way player and Clemson quarterback, has focused solely on pitching since being drafted in 2021.