The best Pirates prospect at each position going into 2025

Starting Pitcher: Bubba Chandler

The Pirates' best starting pitcher is their No. 1 overall prospect, Bubba Chandler. He was originally a two-way player and, like Lonnie White, a football star committed to play both sports at Clemson. Chandler no longer plays the field and hits, but is now one of the best up-and-coming pure pitchers in baseball.

Last season between Altoona and Indianapolis, Chandler posted an earned run average of 3.08 across 119.2 innings and struck out 148 batters. Opposing hitters batted just .189 against him and he walked guys at an 8.8% clip, resulting in a WHIP of just 1.02. Chandler absolutely dominated, but his numbers in Triple-A just continued to get even better from Double-A.

With Indianapolis, Chandler pitched to an outstanding earned run average of 1.83 with a WHIP of 1.04 and a strikeout percentage of 34%. Opposing hitters hit just .183 against him and his FIP sat at 2.78. That first taste of Triple-A was outstanding from Chandler, which may give the Pirates a signal that he should be given the Jared Jones treatment and compete for a spot in spring training.

Overall, though, Chandler is the best starting pitching prospect in the Pirates organization. He is the 15th-ranked prospect in all of baseball for a reason, and there is a chance he is Pittsburgh's second-best pitcher in the rotation soon. For now, though, he is a part of a dominant rotation in Indianapolis.

Relief Pitcher: David Matoma

Lastly is David Matoma, an 18-year-old flamethrower from Uganda. Last season, Matoma was able to hit triple digits with his fastball to dominate his competition in the Florida Complex League.

Matoma delivered 22 innings out of the pen in 2024 and allowed an earned run average of just 0.82 with a strikeout percentage of 30.4%. Opposing hitters batted just .181 against him, and his walk rate sat at 9.8%. That generated a WHIP of just 1.09. Matoma completely dominated his competition at such a young age.

He hasn't thrown much in his professional career, but getting his fastball up to 100 miles per hour is huge. That pairs with a slider that is not as great of a pitch as his fastball. He only has those two pitches thus far, but nonetheless, his natural talent and the skill he has shown so far make him the best reliever prospect in the Pirates farm system.

Overall, the Pirates have a solid prospect at every position on the field for 2025. Trades could happen, but keep an eye on these prospects during spring training and throughout the minor league season.