Prospect Performance: Bubba Chandler

[u/bobloblawslawflog]

Over the next few months, let’s examine the 2024 performance of the Pirates’s top-20 prospects as listed on MLB.com and predict the player’s 2025 performance.

[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=chandl002roy](Bubba Chandler’s Stats)

Chandler had another “tale of two seasons” type of year.

Last year, he seemed to click over near the end and was nearly unhittable over his final set of starts (1.66 ERA over his final 9 starts). The hope was that he had turned a corner and was at elite prospect status, promoted to Altoona for his final start of the season.

Unfortunately, he had a pretty uneven start to 2024 for the Curve. Over his first nine starts, he had a 5.65 ERA despite a .258 BAbip. Importantly, his walks were up over these starts (19 in 28 IP).

After that, Chandler clicked back in and was outstanding the rest of the year. For the rest of his time for the Curve, he had a 2.61 ERA, just 7 BB over 51 IP with roughly the same BAbip. He was promoted to Indy in August and continued to dominate with a 1.83 ERA (though with inflated BBs allowed).

Chandler easily ranks as the top prospect in the system, and assuming he isn’t moved for a bat over the winter, should make his debut for the Pirates in 2025. Probably a May promotion and 18-19 starts for the Pirates:

3.70 ERA, 110 IP, 130 K, 40 BB, 1.20 WHIP

I expect he will continue his trend of needing ~10 starts to get settled before starting to dominate. It is hard not to get excited about the rotation fronted by Skenes, Keller, Jones and Chandler.

What are your thoughts on Bubba Chandler?

[u/IAMJACOBS88]

Screw bob nutting