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2026 Fantasy Baseball Player Profile

Bubba Chandler’s 2025 "cup of coffee" was more of an espresso shot, as the 23-year-old right-hander flashed the elite stuff that has him pegged as the Pirates' next homegrown ace. After a late-August call-up, Chandler authored a historic debut, becoming the first player in MLB history to record a scoreless four-inning save in his first appearance. He finished the year with a 4-1 record, 4.02 ERA, and an elite 0.93 WHIP over 31.1 innings. While a single "blowup" start against the Brewers (9 ER in 2.2 IP) skewed his final ERA, his performance in his other six outings was pristine (1.57 ERA), highlighted by five perfect innings against the Nationals in mid-September.

Entering 2026, Chandler is a consensus Top-10 overall prospect and a frontrunner for the NL Rookie of the Year award alongside teammate Konnor Griffin. He has officially locked down a spot in the Pirates' Opening Day rotation, slotting in behind Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller. His 2026 spring training debut in Bradenton on February 23 was a microcosm of the "Bubba experience": he touched 100.2 mph with his fastball and displayed a devastating 92-mph changeup, but struggled with command in the second inning, exiting with four walks and four earned runs in 1.2 innings. Despite the rocky start, the Pirates remain committed to his "every fifth day" development as they transition him into a full-time major league starter.

For fantasy managers, Chandler is the premier high-upside rookie pitcher with an ADP around 148.