The Pirates 2021 third-round draft pick Bubba Chandler was taken for his abilities on the mound and as a position player.
But it looks like Chandler’s future may have been decided.
According MLB Pipelines’s Sam Dykstra, Chandler will focus on pitching this upcoming season.
“Didn’t rule out a return to hitting down the line, but this year, he’ll be focused exclusively on the mound,” said Dykstra.
Chandler made 11 total starts across the Pirates rookie league and Low-A Bradenton last season with a 2.61 overall ERA, going 1-1.
In Bradenton, Chandler played in 32 games with 76 at bats with an average of .184.
Those hoping Chandler could be the next Shohei Ohtani are not going to be happy about the news, but where Chandler will play if he makes it to the MLB someday are still not written in stone.
Chandler is currently the seventh-ranked Pirates prospect in the MLB Pipeline and has currently is on track to make his Major League debut sometime in 2025.
After he was drafted in the third round, Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington talked about that potential, with Chandler excelling as a pitcher and as a position player.
“We had a lot of conversation with Bubba about that,” said Pirates general manager Ben Cherington. “It’s something that is important to him. He is legitimately talented on both sides. We want to take a look at that. We do believe there’s really big upside as a pitcher.”
Chandler was 8-1 with a 1.25 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 44.2 innings including a 17-strikeout performance in a playoff game for North Oconee High School in Georgia.
The 6’3”, 200-pounder also hit .411 with 12 doubles, 8 home runs, 35 RBI as the shortstop as a senior. He was selected first-team All-American as a multi-position athlete.