Pirates Prospect Update: Baseball America rankings have Pittsburgh in pole position

Thanks in large part to the infusion of youth brought by rookie right-handers Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, the Pittsburgh Pirates took the Major Leagues by storm with their dominant starting rotation in 2024. Now, as attention shifts to the 2025 campaign, all eyes will be on another young arm expected to make an impact in Pittsburgh.

In its newly released top-10 team rankings, Baseball America named right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler as the Pirates' top prospect heading into the 2025 season. Chandler went 10-7 with a 3.08 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 148 strikeouts and 41 walks in 119 2/3 innings over 26 games (23 starts) between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis last season.

“Behind a premium arsenal featuring three pitches bordering on plus or better, Chandler has already staked his claim as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Now, his sights are set on a spot in Pittsburgh’s rotation,” Baseball America wrote (subscription required). “Chandler has legitimate No. 2 upside and should reach the majors in 2025 — perhaps even out of spring training — where he’ll hope to settle in alongside Paul Skenes and Jared Jones to form one of the most potent young trios in the sport.”

Chandler moved up one spot in the rankings from last year, when he was ranked the Pirates' No. 2 prospect behind Skenes, who went on to debut for Pittsburgh in May en route to becoming a National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award finalist.

Pirates No. 1 prospect Bubba Chandler should crack Pittsburgh's Major League roster in 2025

Chandler, ranked Baseball America's No. 21 overall prospect, is one of three Pirates players in the outlet's top-100 prospect list, joining shortstop Konnor Griffin (No. 74) and fellow right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington (No. 88).

Chandler has an elite fastball that sits in the mid-90s and touches the upper-90s, complementing an above-average, mid-80s slider. He may not yet be a lock for the Pirates' Opening Day starting rotation, but Chandler appears primed to follow in Skenes' footsteps and graduate from prospect status at some point during the 2025 campaign.

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