MLB analyst tags Pirates' Bubba Chandler as one to pay attention to this spring

The Pittsburgh Pirates have had quite the offseason so far. They have been aggressive, filling holes as they need to, and the fanbase should be excited. 

They added some much-needed offense with Brandon Lowe, Ryan O'Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna. They also signed Jose Urquidy to a one-year deal and added Gregory Soto to the bullpen. 

However, there are some other things that Pittsburgh fans should be excited about, like some of their younger talent. 

MORE: Pirates' $12 million Marcell Ozuna decision is bad news for Andrew McCutchen reunion

MLB analyst tags Pirates' Bubba Chandler as one to pay attention to this spring

One younger player that Pittsburgh fans should get to know is Bubba Chandler. He was a two-way player as a high schooler in Georgia, and also played football. 

He was going to go to the University of Clemson to play both baseball and football until the Pirates selected him in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft. 

Since signing, he has focused on pitching, and he has quite the arm. Chandler has worked his way to being MLB's No. 11 prospect, the next-best pitching prospect behind the New York Mets' Nolan McLean. 

MLB.com's David Adler tags Chandler as one pitcher that everyone should be paying attention to this spring. 

"While Paul Skenes is off dominating the World Baseball Classic, keep your eyes on Chandler at Pirates camp. Chandler is the next-best pitching prospect after McLean, and we want to see him build on the flashes he showed in his 2025 debut. The 23-year-old has an explosive fastball that averages 99 mph, and two nasty secondary pitches in his 92 mph changeup and 89 mph slider. Both of those pitches held hitters to a sub-.100 batting average."

Chandler got a cup of coffee in the MLB last season and will look to work off some of the success he had. If he can live up to expectations, the Pirates could have quite the one-two punch with him and Skenes.

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