ESPN shines spring training spotlight on Pirates prospect not named Konnor Griffin

By this point, Konnor Griffin needs no introduction. The top prospect in all of baseball experienced a meteoric rise in 2025, to the point where Pittsburgh Pirates fans are clamoring for the 19-year-old phenom to make the team's Opening Day roster.

Whether or not that actually happens, Griffin is clearly a core piece of this team's future. He's the talk of the prospecting world for a reason, after all.

However, he's not the only top prospect the Pirates are betting their future hopes on. Starting pitcher Bubba Chandler ranked as the best pitching prospect in Kiley McDaniel's 2026 rankings for ESPN (and No. 12 overall).

The 23-year-old right-hander is a force to be reckoned with on the mound, featuring a high-90s fastball and a wildly advanced changeup that leads to elite strikeout and whiff totals. He's the highest-upside pitcher the Pirates have, non-Paul Skenes division, and is all but a lock to make the Opening Day roster after debuting at the end of last season.

Bubba Chandler called must-watch prospect ahead of Pirates spring training

The hype around Chandler is palpable, and ESPN's analysts placed a special spotlight on him heading into spring training.

"Though his Triple-A numbers were mediocre (4.05 ERA, 4.8 walks per nine), he walked just four batters with 31 strikeouts in the majors, where he seemed more focused. He might be ready to dominate right now, offering a lethal one-two duo alongside Paul Skenes," David Schoenfield explained when asked which Top-100 prospect he was most looking forward to seeing in spring training.

Analyst Bradford Doolittle doubled down on his colleague's assessment, saying that Skenes and Chandler are the clear one-two punch atop the Pirates' rotation.

That's a lot of praise for a young pitcher who will be competing with Mitch Keller, Jared Jones, and Braxton Ashcraft for the title of Skenes' right-hand man in 2026, but Chandler has more than earned the adulation. His electric MLB debut alone — when he held the Colorado Rockies to just two hits over four scoreless innings while striking out three — was a strong-enough proof of concept, but the rest of the 23-year-old's cup of coffee was just the icing on the cake.

Chandler did struggle badly in two consecutive outings against the Dodgers and Brewers to open September last year, allowing 12 runs in 6 2/3 innings. However, those were the two best teams in the National League last year. Take those two starts off his ledger, and you'll find that Chandler surrendered just two runs over 24 2/3 innings through the rest of his MLB action. He also struck out 25 hitters in that span while walking just one.

You get the idea. There's a reason Chandler is considered the best pitching prospect in baseball. With Skenes already established atop the rotation, Chandler could use his official rookie season as a launching pad to becoming one of the best No. 2 starters in baseball.