Pirates Prospect Update: Baseball America rankings, Termarr Johnson

The Pittsburgh Pirates had some movers and shakers – and even a new addition – in the September re-rank of Baseball America's Top 100 prospects.

The Pirates now have three prospects in Baseball America's Top 100, including a top-25 prospect in right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler. A third-round pick by the Pirates in the 2021 MLB Draft, Chandler made the jump from No. 57 to No. 22 in the prospect rankings after being promoted from Double-A Altoona to Triple-A Indianapolis at the beginning of August.

The Pirates' highest-ranked prospect has lived up to his billing in 2024, posting a combined 3.24 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A this season. Chandler has been exceptional in his first five starts for Indianapolis, posting a 3-0 record and a 1.93 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .178 batting average over 28 innings of work. If he continues to dominate his competition, he is all but a lock to make his MLB debut with the Pirates in 2025.

Joining Chandler in the Top 100 are fellow Pirates prospects Konnor Griffin, who moved up a few spots from No. 82 to No. 77, and Thomas Harrington, who cracked the list for the first time at No. 91. Griffin, Pittsburgh's first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, has been playing games in the Florida Complex League, but has yet to make his full-season pro debut.

Harrington, like Chandler, was promoted to Triple-A in August after finishing the month of July with an 0.70 ERA in 25.2 innings with Altoona. His transition from Double-A hasn't been quite as seamless as Chandler's, but he has still posted a respectable 3-1 record and 3.67 ERA over six starts for Indianapolis.

Pirates prospect Termarr Johnson beginning to heat up for Double-A Altoona

One player who hasn't gotten off to quite as hot of a start in his recent promotion is Termarr Johnson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft and Pittsburgh's No. 3 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

Since being promoted from High-A Greensboro to Double-A Altoona at the end of August, Johnson is hitting .184/.273/.368 with a double and two homers. He went 2-for-13 with a homer in his first four games, but that was followed by an 0-for-16 stretch in his next four games. Johnson's bat looks to be heating up, though, as he has since gone 5-for-9 with a double and a homer in his last two games.

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