Pirates Farm System
Pirates’ Bubba Chandler Named Top 10 Prospect; 2 Others in BA’s Top 100

For the second-consecutive season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a starting pitcher included in Baseball America’s top 10 prospects.
Baseball America unveiled its top 100 prospects list on Wednesday and they have right-hander Bubba Chandler listed at No. 7.
Chandler was originally drafted as a two-way player by the Pirates in the third round in 2021. Since scrapping the position-player side of things and focusing solely on pitching starting in 2023, his prospect status has soared.
The bulk of Chandler’s work last season came in Double-A Altoona, where he went 6-7 with a 3.70 ERA in 19 appearances/16 starts. Across 80.1 innings, the 22-year-old allowed 55 hits, walked 26 and struck out 94 batters.
Chandler received a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis later in the season and shined across seven starts. He went a perfect 4-0 with a sparkling 1.83 ERA and recorded 54 strikeouts in 39.1 innings.
Last season, Baseball America had Chandler ranked as the 59th-best prospect in baseball.
In addition to Chandler, two other Pirates’ prospects were included in the top 100 list. 2024 first-rounder Konnor Griffin checks in at No. 57 and right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington is No. 74.
Griffin has yet to make his professional debut but has the tools to one day be a true five-tool player. Scouts feel that he has the ability to play both shortstop and center field thanks to impressive speed and athleticism as well as a strong arm. At the plate, Griffin has legitimate raw power.
The Pirates drafted Griffin with the ninth pick in last year’s draft out of high school in Mississippi. He was the first prep player selected in the draft.
Harrington, meanwhile, was the 36th overall pick by the Pirates in 2022 after playing collegiately at Campbell.
Combined between three levels this past season in the Pirates’ system, Harrington went 7-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 22 appearances/21 starts. The righty struck out 115 batters in 117.1 innings, but it’s his impressive command that really stands out. Harrington only issued 19 free passes last year and had a 0.963 WHIP.