The Pittsburgh Pirates have created their own pitching factory of flame-throwing arms, making an impact in the majors.
The team that drafted Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow, Clay Holmes, and others is ushering in a new wave of stars.
Paul Skenes leads the charge as the best pitcher in the National League, entering 2026 with his first Cy Young Award.
Young pitchers Braxton Ashcraft and Carmen Mlodzinski began their careers in the bullpen but have the stuff and potential to be impactful MLB
starters.
None of them started the season the way Bubba Chandler did. In more ways than just one.
Baseball’s No. 11 prospect and the No. 2 player in the Pirates farm system, per MLB Pipeline, Chandler flashed his immense potential in front of 22,390 fans at Great American Ballpark on Tuesday.
The fifth and final starter on the Opening Day roster to take the ball for the Bucs, Chandler delivered 4.1 no-hit innings against the Cincinnati Reds.
Chandler consistently flashed a 99-100 MPH fastball and kept Reds hitters off balance with his breaking pitches, including a 94 MPH changeup.
He allowed one unearned run in the third inning on a play that was initially ruled extra bases for former Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, but later changed to an error on Bryan Reynolds.
Reynolds and Oneil Cruz subtly collided in left-center field, resulting in neither player catching the fly ball, allowing Noelvi Marte to score.
That was the positive part of the outing for Chandler, who also struck out six Cincinnati hitters.
Chandler walked six Reds, including three in the third inning that resulted in Cincinnati posting its first tally of the game.
He only walked four batters in 31.1 innings split between the rotation and bullpen last season, but walks were an issue in the minors.
Chandler walked 53 hitters over 100 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis, compared to 95 hits and 121 strikeouts in 2025.
A strong athlete who was recruited to Clemson as both a quarterback and a two-way baseball player, Chandler has immense talent and potential. It’s all about harnessing it.
Chandler registered an impressive double play off TJ Friedl, quickly turning like a shortstop or a quarterback completing a slant to pick off Jose Trevino at second base.
There’s no denying Bubba Chandler’s potential. In seven games (four starts) last season, the 6-foot-3 right-hander posted a 4.02 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, one save, and 31 punchouts over 31.1 innings.
Chandler is one of 10 early candidates for Rookie of the Year, alongside Konnor Griffin. He would become the second Pirate to win the award in the last three years after Skenes won it in 2024.
The Pirates are depending on Chandler to improve his control and turn a top 10 prospect into a top 10 starter in the National League. The ceiling and potential are there for Chandler to become the Pirates’ No. 2 starter and pair a considerable 1-2 punch with Paul Skenes.
The two are lined up back-to-back this season after Chandler started on Tuesday and Skenes on Wednesday. Pittsburgh won both games… Both have elite arsenals… Imagine the possibilities.
