Pirates' Bubba Chandler: Treading water at Double-A
Rotowire
Chandler has a 4.13 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 29 strikeouts and 13 walks in 24 innings across seven appearances for Double-A Altoona.
Chandler has a 3.72 FIP and 3.70 xFIP, so he's been perfectly fine in a return to Double-A after making one start there to close 2023. The former two-way prospect has logged four-plus innings in three of his seven outings, as he has struggled to be efficient thus far (13 percent walk rate). He is the fifth-youngest pitcher with 20-plus innings at Double-A and turns 22 in September.
Chandler was promoted Wednesday from High-A Greensboro to Double-A Altoona, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Chandler earned the level jump after delivering a stellar 1.85 ERA and 43:13 K:BB over his last 43.2 innings (eight starts) with Greensboro. The 20-year-old former two-way player is quickly rounding into a highly promising pitching prospect for the Pirates. He was a third-round pick in the 2021 draft out of high school.
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Pirates' Bubba Chandler: Turns corner at High-A
Rotowire
Chandler has a 2.57 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in 49 innings over his last nine starts for High-A Greensboro.
Chandler got an 11-day gap between starts in early-July and just took 10 days in between his Aug. 22 start and his most recent start Sept. 2, as Pittsburgh carefully monitors the former two-way player's first season focusing solely on pitching. The hard-throwing 20-year-old righty has a very high ceiling and has turned a corner at High-A after logging a 6.63 ERA and 1.89 WHIP in his first 57 innings this season.
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Pirates' Bubba Chandler: Focusing on pitching in 2023
Rotowire
Chandler was told by the Pirates on Monday that he will work exclusively as a pitcher this year, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.
Chandler was selected as a two-way player in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft, but the Pirates want him to focus solely on his mound work in 2023 after he struggled to a .184/.284/.290 batting line in 32 games (88 plate appearances) last summer at Low-A Bradenton. He posted a 2.61 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 41.1 innings between Bradenton and the rookie-level Florida Coast League.
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Pirates' Bubba Chandler: Rises to Single-A
Rotowire
The Pirates promoted Chandler on Tuesday from their rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate to Single-A Bradenton.
Chandler, a third-round draft pick in 2021 who is being developed as a two-way player, worked exclusively as a hitter upon being selected last summer. The Pirates were likely just looking to keep his innings in check after he completed his final season of high school last spring, but Chandler has been splitting his time between pitching and serving as a designated hitter during FCL games in 2022. Over five appearances on the mound in rookie ball, Chandler struck out 21 and issued seven walks over 12.1 scoreless innings. He was only slightly less impressive at the plate, turning in a monstrous 1.098 OPS while walking more times (nine) than he struck out (six) in 26 plate appearances. The Florida State League should present a stiffer test for the talented 19-year-old.
