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Pirates to promote top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler for bulk relief role | TribLIVE.com
Pirates/MLB

Pirates to promote top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler for bulk relief role

Kevin Gorman
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Chaz Palla | TribLive
Pirates pitcher Bubba Chandler throws during a spring training workout at Pirate City in February in Bradenton.

It’s almost Bubba time in the ’Burgh.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting Bubba Chandler, ranked the top right-handed pitching prospect in the minors, a source told TribLive on Wednesday morning. The 22-year-old right-hander is expected to be selected to the active roster before Friday’s game against the Colorado Rockies.

“Really excited about bringing Bubba up,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “He’s going to have an opportunity to earn starts, like all of our guys have. I’m excited to add him and his stuff. He’s going to bring a lot to the ballclub.”

The No. 7 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 15 by Baseball America, Chandler has a four-seam fastball that sits at 97 mph and touches triple digits complemented by an upper-80s changeup and a slider with a curveball in the works.

Chandler will begin his major-league career in the bullpen, working in a bulk relief role. He is still expected to compete for a spot in the starting rotation in 2026, which could feature a combination of Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Jared Jones, Mike Burrows and Braxton Ashcraft.

In 24 starts at Triple-A Indianapolis, Chandler is 4-5 with a 4.05 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 121 strikeouts against 53 walks in 100 innings.

The Pirates believe having Chandler begin in the bullpen can allow him to adjust to the majors the way Ashcraft did by throwing multiple innings in 12 of his 17 appearances before moving into a starting role earlier this month.

“Just getting him up here in the big leagues, putting him in that role, we saw Ashcraft really thrive in it,” Kelly said. “To have him in a situation like that, where he can go out and work in the ’pen, work on things at the big-league level and to be able to learn from the guys up here, to learn the staff and the players and get feedback from the major-league game is going to be really, really good for him and for us.”

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound Chandler was a two-sport star at North Oconee High School in Bogart, Ga., who signed with Clemson as a quarterback recruit. The Pirates selected him in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft but lured him from his college commitment with an above-slot $3 million signing bonus.

Chandler spent his first professional season as a two-way player, splitting time at pitcher, shortstop and designated hitter before fully committing to being a pitcher-only in 2023.

Splitting the 2023 season between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, Chandler went 10-4 with a 4.54 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 128 strikeouts and 51 walks in 111 innings over 25 starts as opponents batted .257 against him.

Chandler began last season at Altoona and was chosen to play for the National League in the All-Star Futures Game in Arlington, Texas. He pitched the final inning of a 6-1 win over the American League, striking out Kansas City Royals 2022 first-round pick Gavin Cross and allowing one hit and one walk.

In August, the Pirates promoted Chandler to Indianapolis and he finished strong, going 4-0 with a 1.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 54 strikeouts against 15 walks and a .183 batting-average against in seven starts.

Chandler shined in the Spring Breakout, striking out four in a pair of perfect innings against the Philadelphia Phillies’ top prospects. He was one of the first cuts from major-league camp March 6, with the Pirates announcing their intentions to start him in the minors. On May 24, Chandler pitched six no-hit innings against Toledo before giving up a walk and a hit in the seventh.

“I think he’s a superstar in the making,” Pirates catcher Henry Davis told TribLive in late May. “The more he pitches and the more he’s challenged, the better he’ll do. He’s responded to every challenge he’s had.”

Chandler’s call-up is considered long overdue as he had a 2-1 record with a 2.49 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 70 strikeouts against 22 walks in 50 2/3 innings over his first 12 starts for the Indians this season.

But Chandler has struggled with command issues since June, when he posted an 8.53 ERA, a .309 batting average against and had more walks (12) than strikeouts (11). Chandler’s numbers improved in July, when he was 3-2 with a 4.05 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and had 26 strikeouts against 12 walks in 26 2/3 innings over five starts, but he is 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA, 2.33 WHIP and .377 BAA in 12 innings over three starts this month.

“I fully expect Bubba to be confident in that, excel in that role, knowing that the end goal is to be a starting pitcher,” Ashcraft said. “Getting your feet wet and getting up here and competing at a really high level, just doing things you know how to do.”

Note: Following Wednesday’s game, the Pirates optioned right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart to Triple-A Indianapolis. The team will announce a corresponding roster move before Friday’s game against Colorado.

Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.

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