The start of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates has been the same as past years – bad. Fans are not going to games and everyone wants owner Bob Nutting to sell the team.
Going into their seventh home stand, the Pirates have a 12-26 record and are in last place in the NL Central, having the third-worst record in the MLB.
Nothing has gone well for the Pirates this season, and they are on a seven-game losing streak. But fans looking for a bright spot should consider the team’s young pitching prospects.
One prospect to look out for is Bubba Chandler. Chandler is the number one prospect in the organization and number 12 in all of baseball.
This year in Triple-A, he has pitched 28 innings and has a 2.25 ERA and 41 strikeouts. On Wednesday night, he had five strikeouts throughout 2.2 innings, and he has proven that he is ready to join the big leagues.
Last year, Paul Skenes was called up around this time. With Carmen Mlodzinski’s struggles in the rotation, fans could very well see Chandler make his major league debut next week.
Chandler is not the only pitcher who is having a breakout season, though. Hunter Barco has been proving to be a lights-out pitcher.
Due to injuries, Barco has not played a full season in the organization, but he is having a stellar season right now. Throughout 25.2 innings in Double-A, he has 34 strikeouts, only has given up 11 hits, and has a 0.00 ERA.
On Saturday, Barco got promoted to AAA. He is not MLB ready just yet, but his performances in Triple-A could lead to a September call up and help the Pirates for years to come.
Chandler and Barco are not the only two talented pitchers in the farm system. Braxton Ashcraft and Thomas Harrington are in Triple-A. Ashcraft could make an MLB appearance this year, and Harrington had a cup of coffee with the Pirates earlier this year, although he did not impress.
The Pirates rotation is not looking too sharp at the moment. But by the time prospects like Barco and Chandler are ready, this team will be a lot better.
