Pirates Minor League Updates: Chandler New No. 1, Hitters Heating Up

This is one in a weekly update on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ top 10 prospects.

There was a shakeup in the Pirates’ top prospects list as Paul Skenes graduated. Fellow right-hander Bubba Chandler took Skenes’ spot as the top prospect in the system.

A couple of hitting prospects also had big weeks, led by 2022 first-round draft pick Termarr Johnson

Full updates on the top 10:

1. RHP Bubba Chandler (Double-A Altoona)

• Weekly stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.2 innings, no runs, two hits, no walks, seven strikeouts, one appearance/one start
• 2024 stats: 5-5, 3.65 ERA, 61.2 innings, 28 runs (25 earned), 42 hits, 22 walks, 75 strikeouts, 15 appearances/13 starts

Chandler continued his recent stretch of dominance with another brilliant outing on Wednesday. Since the beginning of June, Chandler ranks first in the Eastern League in WHIP (0.73) and is second in both ERA (1.91) and strikeouts (42).

2. INF Termarr Johnson (High-A Greensboro)

• Weekly stats: .476/.607/.810, 10 for 21, one double, two home runs, five RBIs, two steals, six games
• 2024 stats: .244/.397/.396, 66 for 270, 12 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 36 RBIs, 14 steals, 77 games

Johnson has turned around the sluggish start to his season and had an excellent week at the plate. He currently carries a 10-game hitting streak.

3. LHP Anthony Solometo (Double-A Altoona)

• Weekly stats: DID NOT PITCH – PLACED ON THE DEVELOPMENT LIST
• 2024 stats: 0-4, 6.27 ERA, 33 innings, 23 runs, 32 hits, 21 walks, 24 strikeouts, 13 appearances/10 starts

Solometo remains on the Development List in Bradenton, Fla.

4. RHP Thomas Harrington (Double-A Altoona)

• Weekly stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, seven innings, no runs, three hits, two walks, six strikeouts, one appearance/one start
• 2024 stats (AA) : 1-2, 2.72 ERA, 49.2 innings, 23 runs (15 earned), 46 hits, six walks, 48 strikeouts, 10 appearances/nine starts

Harrington celebrated his Fourth of July by tossing seven-shutout innings and getting his first win of the season with Altoona.

5. RHP Braxton Ashcraft (Triple-A Indianapolis)

• Weekly stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, three innings, no runs, three hits, no walks, three strikeouts, one appearance/one start
• 2024 stats (AA, AAA): 3-2, 2.88 ERA, 72 innings, 25 runs (23 earned), 65 hits, 12 walks, 76 strikeouts, 15 appearances/13 starts

Ashcraft returned after a brief stint on the injured list and threw three-strong innings for Indianapolis.

6. INF Mitch Jebb (High-A Greensboro)

• Weekly stats: .400/.586/.800, 8 for 20, one triple, two home runs, six RBIs, eight steals, six games
• 2024 stats: .232/.333/.340, 60 for 259, four doubles, three triples, six home runs, 29 RBIs, 24 steals, 68 games

As did Johnson, Jebb caught fire in Greensboro and had an exceptional week with the bat. He had his speed working too with eight stolen bases.

7. INF Tsung-Che Cheng (Double-A Altoona)

• Weekly stats: .368/.429/.632, 7 for 19, two doubles, one home run, one RBI, six games
• 2024 stats: .241/.333/.390, 60 for 249, 13 doubles, eight home runs, 35 RBIs, 13 steals, 72 games

Cheng was another productive hitter in the Pirates’ minor-league system last week.

8. INF Jack Brannigan (High-A Greensboro)

• Weekly stats: .167/.261/.389, 3 for 18, one double, one home run, six RBIs, one steal, five games
• 2024 stats: .212/.338/.407, 49 for 231, 10 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 37 RBIs, 10 steals, 62 games

Brannigan was one of the few Pirates’ hitting prospects to have a good start to the season but he has cooled considerably in recent weeks.

9. RHP Mike Burrows (Low-A Bradenton*)

• Weekly stats: 0-0, 5.39 ERA, 1.2 innings, two runs (one earned), three hits, two walks, two strikeouts, one appearance/one start
• 2024 stats (FCL, A-): 0-2, 10.29 ERA, 7.2 innings, nine runs (eight earned), nine hits, seven walks, no strikeouts, four appearances/four starts.

Burrows continues to shake off the rust as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.

10. OF Lonnie White Jr. (High-A Greensboro)

• Weekly stats: DID NOT PLAY — PLACED ON 7-DAY INJURED LIST 
• 2024 stats: .190/.294/.410, 38 for 200, seven doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 31 RBIs, eight steals, 53 games

White was placed on the 7-day injured list by Greensboro on July 2 (retro to June 30).