Two Pirates Pitching Prospects Crack Top Five Ranking

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a pair of pitching prospects ready to take the world by storm.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Sep 20, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler (57) delivers a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Sep 20, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler (57) delivers a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Pirates

With two right-handed pitching prospects in the top five of MLB's rankings, it's safe to say the Pittsburgh Pirates are in good shape.

Bubba Chandler clocks in at No. 2 just behind New York Mets Nolan McLean who leads the way. The Pirates, to no surprise, are the only team with two players in the top five.

The Mets are the only other team with two players in the top team, but they're at No. 1 and No. 7 while the Pirates have Chandler at No. 2 and Seth Hernandez at No. 5.

Hernandez is one of three players in the list with an ETA of 2028, but that doens't mean Pirates fans can't speculate just how good he's truly going to be.

No. 2 Bubba Chandler

Chandler's fastball was mentioned as one of his top weapons, but it's his changeup that got the attention of Sam Dykstra.

"The debate over the best changeup in the Pirates rotation (non-splinker division) could be a fun one in a few years. Chandler already has a leg up; his 90-93 mph cambio had a 39.6 percent whiff rate in the Majors, thanks to the way he sells it with arm speed and the separation he generates off his aforementioned four-seamer," he wrote.

The 23-year-old ended up making his highly anticipated MLB debut last season. He started four of the seven games he appeared in and posted a 4-1 record with a save.

All 14 of the runs Chandler gave up were earned, though he posted an incredible 31 strikeout to four walk ratio. Chander struck out one batter per inning as he threw 31.1 in his rookie campaign. His No. 2 ranking comes as no surprise and he's set for a prominent role with this team in 2026.

No. 5 Seth Hernandez

Hernandez was also given praise for his fastball but his curveball got Dykstra talking the most.

"Hernandez, last year’s sixth overall pick, has more of a 12-to-6 option in this category, but his curveball comes with tons of spin in its own right, along with tight action that could help him thrive quickly in the pros," he said.

Dykstra also discussed his changeup, even though it's still a tick behind that of Chandler's, "Hernandez’s change was one of the best overall pitches in last year’s Draft, and he’s much more confident in it than your typical prep arm."

Hernandez, 19, still needs plenty of time before he's MLB ready. His ETA of 2028 feels accurate, as the last thing this organization wants to do is rush him and then ruin their development of what could be another star pitcher.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz began his On SI journey writing for the Tennessee Titans and Iowa Hawkeyes. Since then, he's began contributing to both the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

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