Pirates Promote Bubba Chandler for MLB Debut
Big news has arrived for Pittsburgh Pirates fans — right-handed pitching prospect Bubba Chandler is set to make his long-awaited debut in the Major Leagues this week. According to multiple reports, Chandler will join the Pirates on Friday, marking the next step in his highly anticipated journey to the big leagues.
Chandler, who turns 23 in September, has been recognized as one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball. Earlier this summer, CBS Sports ranked him as the No. 4 overall prospect, and MLB Pipeline currently lists him as the No. 1 pitching prospect in the game. For Pirates fans eager to see the future of the franchise, this is a debut that has been circled on the calendar for a while.
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The young right-hander has been developing steadily in the minor leagues since being selected in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of North Oconee High School in Georgia. Over four seasons in the minors, he compiled a 3.73 ERA with 457 strikeouts in just over 370 innings. His arsenal is headlined by a powerful fastball that averages nearly 98 mph and comes with late life from a lower release point, making it especially difficult for hitters to square up. Alongside that heater, he mixes in a sharp slider, a developing changeup, and a curveball to keep batters off balance.
This season at Triple-A Indianapolis, Chandler posted a 4.05 ERA across 24 starts. His performance has been a bit of a mixed bag — a strong first half was followed by struggles in August, when hitters tagged him for 10 runs over a three-start stretch. Still, scouts remain convinced that his raw stuff and athletic ability give him the upside of a frontline starter.
The Pirates plan to ease him into the majors by using him out of the bullpen in a long-relief role, though the door is open for him to make starts later in the season. That approach allows him to gain experience against big-league hitters without being thrown immediately into the pressures of a permanent rotation spot.
For a team that currently sits at the bottom of the National League Central and is headed toward another losing season, Chandler’s arrival provides a welcome reason for optimism. The Pirates have been working to build a young core around promising talents like Paul Skenes, last year’s No. 1 pitching prospect, and shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin, who is currently ranked as the top overall prospect in baseball. Adding Chandler to that group signals that the organization’s investment in player development is beginning to pay off.
While expectations should be managed — as with any rookie pitcher — the excitement is real. Bubba Chandler’s debut won’t turn around the Pirates’ season overnight, but it represents something more important: a glimpse into the future and a reminder that brighter days may be on the horizon in Pittsburgh.
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