Right-handed pitching prospect Bubba Chandler set to debut in Major League Baseball: Pittsburgh Pirates reportedly plan to call him up this week

Pittsburgh Pirates Call Up Top Prospect Bubba Chandler

The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that they will be calling up right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler to their major league roster on Friday. The 22-year-old, who turns 23 in September, is one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball and is poised to join a Pirates team that's currently in last place in the National League Central and on pace for 94 losses.

Chandler, who was originally a third-round pick in 2021 out of a Georgia high school, has been highlighted as a notable prospect who may make his big-league debut this season by R.J. Anderson. His arsenal is led by a high-octane fastball with impressive velocity and rise, and he will work primarily in a multi-inning relief role for the Pirates, but could receive starts later in the season.

Chandler made his big-league debut in the 2022 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, pitching four innings in relief during a game against the Colorado Rockies at PNC Park. Despite a three-start stretch in August where he surrendered 10 runs on 20 hits in 12 innings, Chandler's future remains bright.

Over parts of four minor-league seasons, Chandler has pitched to a 3.73 ERA with 457 strikeouts and 173 unintentional walks in 372 innings spread across 83 starts and six relief appearances. He has an above-average slider that generates the best hard-hit percentage. Currently, his ERA in Triple-A stands at 4.05 and his strikeout-to-walk ratio is 2.28.

In late June, Chandler was ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in baseball. As the Pirates continue to struggle, the addition of Chandler could provide a spark and offer fans a glimmer of hope for the future.