The Pittsburgh Pirates have plenty of youth coming through the system, setting them up for another potential Rookie of the Year victory in 2025.
Pittsburgh is coming off a season where Paul Skenes dominated the headlines, pitching his way to winning the National League Rookie of the Year
MLB.com’s Sam Dykstra, Jim Callis, and Jonathan Mayo highlighted the top Rookie of the Year candidates for each team in the majors. Unsurprisingly, they picked the Pirates’ top prospect — right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler. Here’s what they had to say about his potential for the 2025 season.
“Chandler not only reached Triple-A in 2024, he dominated, with a 1.83 ERA and 12.4 K/9 over seven starts, showing off elite-level stuff with plenty left in the tank. Even if he starts back at Indianapolis in 2025, it’s not difficult to envision a Skenes-like path for the 22-year-old right-hander, and we all know how that turned out this year.”
Chandler is expected to make his professional debut sometime in the 2025 season. If he gets his chance as early as Skenes did, taking home the NL Rookie of the Year could very well be in his future.
Story continues below advertisement
Nonetheless, the future is bright for the Pirates and their rotation — with the possibility of having Chandler, Skenes, and Jared Jones leading the way.
More MLB: Pirates Named As Intriguing Team To Potentially Sign Ace Pitcher
Featured image via Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images