Bubba Chandler

A premium athlete who gave up his two-way development last offseason to focus exclusively on pitching, Chandler came on strong to close the year and has one of the best arsenals in the minors. The 6-foot-3 righty had a 3.12 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 77:19 K:BB in 69.1 innings over his final 14 starts and climbed from High-A to Double-A in the process. He only made one start at Double-A, spinning five one-hit innings with eight strikeouts and zero walks. Chandler is a power pitcher with a mid-90s fastball that touches higher and two above-average secondaries in his mid-80s slider and upper-80s changeup. His command should continue to improve with reps, given his athleticism. The Pirates won't rush Chandler in his age-21 season, but if he stays healthy, he could establish himself as one of the game's best pitching prospects. Read Past Outlooks