Pirates All 40: Bubba Chandler Could Be ’26 Rookie of the Year Frontrunner
This is one in a series breaking down players on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 40-man roster.
Bubba Chandler was not only considered the Pirates’ top prospect entering the 2025 season but also the top pitching prospect in baseball.
The Pirates selected Chandler in the third round of the 2025 draft and paid him an over-slot deal of $3 million to pry him away from playing both baseball and football at Clemson.
Originally drafted as a two-way player, Chandler focused solely on pitching starting in 2023 and began emerging on top prospects lists entering the 2024 season.
Chandler began the 2024 season with Double-A Altoona and pitched well, which led to a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis later in the season. After his promotion to Pittsburgh’s top affiliate, Chandler went a perfect 4-0 with a 1.83 ERA and struck out 54 batters in 39.1 innings.
There was speculation that Chandler could be a surprise candidate to make the Pirates’ big-league rotation out of spring training, but he was sent back to Indianapolis to begin the 2025 season.
Chandler’s 2025 season began strong, but inconsistencies as the season went on pushed back his MLB debut until late August, when he threw four-shutout innings against the Colorado Rockies and recorded his first save.
Chandler’s next appearance came five days later, when he got the win after tossing four one-hit innings of relief against the Cardinals in St. Louis. The 23-year-old became the first player since 1989 to get a save and a win in his first two appearances.
Chandler made his first big-league start against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sep. 7 and was tagged for nine runs in 2.2 innings. But he went 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA over his final three starts of the season. Ultimately, the promising rookie finished 4-1 with a 4.08 ERA across his first seven appearances, four of which were starts.
Though he split his first season in the big leagues between the bullpen and rotation, Chandler figures to be a key starting pitcher for the Pirates in 2026. With a fastball capable of touching triple digits and capable secondary pitches, Chandler has the arsenal to be a top-of-the-rotation arm behind reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.
With his eligibility still intact, Chandler will be one of the frontrunners to win the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year along with fellow Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin.
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