Two Pittsburgh Pirates Pitching Prospects Named Pitchers of the Month

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league affiliates’ seasons are in full swing. Triple-A Indianapolis went 13-12 in April and was outscored 124-110. Double-A Altoona finished 12-11, and they were outscored 93-85. High-A Greensboro went 15-8, outscoring their opponents 130-106. Single-A Bradenton finished 9-14 and was outscored 125-97. Two of the Pirates’ top pitching prospects took home Pitcher of the Month honors for their respective leagues. Their top prospect, Bubba Chandler, earned the honors for Triple-A Indianapolis in the International League. Their seventh-ranked prospect and fourth-ranked pitching prospect, Hunter Barco, took the honors for Double-A Altoona in the Eastern League. Chandler made five starts in April, going 1-0 with a 1.33 ERA, a 0.64 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 20.1 innings. Barco made five starts as well, going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA, a 0.63 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.

Bubba Chandler

The Pirates drafted Chandler in the third round of the 2021 MLB draft. In four seasons with the Pirates organization, he is 23-12 with a 3.42 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 372 strikeouts in 297.1 innings. He ranked as the 59th-ranked prospect by Baseball America in 2024 and 93^rd by MLB Pipeline. Chandler is the 13th overall prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline.

Hunter Barco

The Pirates drafted Barco in the second round of the 2022 MLB draft. The lefty has made 33 appearances, with 30 of those coming as starts in the Pirates organization. He is 5-4 with a 2.54 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and 145 strikeouts in 110 innings.