Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Bubba Chandler tackles big-league pressure with a confident approach.
Perhaps it is because he is generally considered one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, or maybe it is because he has been in the spotlight since the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the third round of the 2021 amateur draft.
For whatever reason, right-hander Bubba Chandler is playing it cool as he prepares for what is expected to be his first full season in the major leagues. The 23-year-old, though, is intrigued by the possibilities that the upcoming season holds. Chandler is taking a businesslike approach during spring training in Bradenton, Fla.
“There's a job to be done every day, and then show up and work as hard as you can and put your body in a good spot to help the team,” Chandler told Pirates Roundtable. “That’s kind of been the thought since I got drafted and even more when I did get up to the big leagues.”
Chandler made his major-league debut last Aug. 22. Save for getting shellacked for nine runs in 2 2/3 innings by the eventual National League Central champion Milwaukee Brewers, Chandler performed well.
Chandler had a 4-1 record and a 4.02 ERA in four starts and three relief appearances. Take away the game against the Brewers, and his ERA was 1.57.
Often, a player realizes he belongs in the major leagues at a certain moment. That didn’t happen to Chandler. He felt like the promotion should have come earlier.
While it might sound a bit arrogant, it’s not. Chandler is a friendly and funny guy who just happens to believe he has the talent to succeed at a high level in the major leagues. That showed when he was asked what he learned the most during his month-plus in the big leagues.
“Are you where you need to be?” Chandler said. “Whether it's in a meeting, or, you know, on the field, when your name's called, just be present.”
Pirates manager Don Kelly was most impressed with how Chandler bounced back from his ugly outing against the Brewers. Six days later, he allowed one run on two hits in six innings in a win over the Washington Nationals.
“He had already put himself past that and continued to work on going back out there,” Kelly said. “And then his outing in Washington was unbelievable.”
That shouldn’t be a total surprise, as Pittsburgh gave Chandler a $3-million signing bonus after graduating from high school in Bogart, Ga., to convince him to pass up a football scholarship to play quarterback at Clemson.
Chandler has certainly made himself known as a top prospect. MLB.com ranks Chandler as No. 11 in the game, Baseball Prospectus has him at No. 12, and Baseball America ranks him No. 15.
Chandler will make his first spring training start on Monday when he faces the New York Yankees in a Grapefruit League game in Bradenton.
“There are not a whole lot of Major League Baseball players,” Chandler said. “All the time I think of that, so to be one is really special and cool, and it's an honor, and I just want to serve my purpose and have fun.”
Pirates Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Pirates. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.