Chandler adds mix to upper-90s heat in stellar Spring Breakout start
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In the inaugural Spring Breakout game a year ago, as he was coming out to pitch the ninth inning, Bubba Chandler slammed a Red Bull and declared “let’s do this” before pumping upper-90s heat.
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In the inaugural Spring Breakout game a year ago, as he was coming out to pitch the ninth inning, Bubba Chandler slammed a Red Bull and declared “let’s do this” before pumping upper-90s heat.
This year, the Pirates’ top prospect got to start the Spring Breakout game Friday at BayCare Ballpark, a 5-3 Bucs loss, and while he brought the heat again, the pregame routine was slightly modified.
“Red Bulls don’t have any milligrams of caffeine, which is good, but I crushed a C4 today,” Chandler said with a grin. “So, yeah, changed it up a little, but it was cool. Starting it is a lot better than closing it, I will say.”
Chandler, the No. 15 prospect in the game according to MLB Pipeline, set the pace for all other top pitching prospects with his performance Friday. After joking with Phillies prospect Justin Crawford pregame that he was going to start with a changeup, he instead opted for five straight fastballs, finishing with a 98.5 mph four-seamer that caught the outer part of the zone for a called third strike. Chandler would end up throwing two perfect innings, striking out four with two ground-ball outs.
It was a showcase of why this 22-year-old right-hander has blossomed into the top young pitcher in this iteration of the Pirates’ pitching development machine. It’s not just because he flirted with triple digits on the radar gun or struck out two Top 100 prospects (Crawford and Eduardo Tait), but also in what we saw in his at-bat against right fielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. in the second inning. With the count full, Chandler didn’t go back to the fastball, but rather wanted to challenge himself and threw a changeup. Rincones froze and Chandler struck him out.
“Just growing as a pitcher, fastballs can get you through levels, but at the same time, in the big leagues, you've got to be able to mix, and that's kind of my thought behind everything," Chandler said. "[At] 3-2, put yourself in an uncomfortable situation. I love my changeup, I can control it pretty well, let's throw it 3-2. And [catcher] Omar [Alfonzo], me and him are on the same page. He called it, I didn't have to shake to it, and then I executed."
2.0 IP
— Young Bucs (@YoungBucsPIT) March 14, 2025
0 H
0 R
0 BB
4 K
Bubba Chandler was lights out in the Spring Breakout 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/VLzKbgA2De
Don’t be mistaken, the extra cheddar on his fastball is a big plus too. Chandler threw 11 fastballs at least 98.5 mph, or 99 if you’re into rounding or what flashes up on the screen.
“I’m just really trying to be like Jared Jones,” Chandler said. “But, it was cool. I looked up there, I usually look once an inning just to see where I’m at, just to see if I’m a little sluggish. I looked up there one time and saw it and I’m like, ‘Oh, nice.’”
Chandler tried to be like Jones in another way this spring and try to crack the Opening Day roster. That didn’t happen, as the Pirates reassigned him to Minor League camp on March 6. The Pirates didn’t have enough innings for all of the pitchers they had in camp, and Chandler didn’t make the cut.
That doesn’t at all reflect what the organization thinks about him, and in all likelihood, he’s going to be in the Major Leagues at some point this season.
“My money is on this kid,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said after Chandler was sent down. “He's tough, he's resilient. He takes challenges and he's going to be a really good Major League pitcher."
Friday was a small taste of what he can do in those situations and perform against the best of his contemporaries. A year ago, he was closing out a Spring Breakout game that Paul Skenes started. The two are close and work out together in the offseason, and he’s been the team’s top prospect ever since Skenes graduated, following in his footsteps.
“Having to follow a guy like Paul is, I won't say tough, but I think I can do it,” Chandler said.
📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BASEBALL TRAVELER NEWSLETTER
Other notable performances Friday include:
Omar Alfonzo: The Pirates' No. 19 prospect went 1-for-3 with a double and a run, and the starting catcher crushed the ball each of his three times to the plate, registering exit velocities of 108.6 mph, 106.5 mph and 104.2 mph.
Tsung-Che Cheng: The Bucs' No. 17 prospect went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI single in the fifth inning that put the Pirates on the board.
Hunter Barco: The club's No. 7 prospect struck out one over two innings of one-run ball. The southpaw touched 97 mph on the radar gun and got five called strikes with his sinker.
Alex Stumpf covers the Pirates for MLB.com.
San Diego Padres Announce 2025 Lake Elsinore Storm Coaching Staff
The San Diego Padres have announced the 2025 coaching staff for the Lake Elsinore Storm. The 2025 season begins on Tuesday, April 8th with a full series against the Modesto Nuts. Manager: Brian Burres Brian Burres brings an extended MLB resume to Lake Elsinore. He spent six seasons as a
Lake Elsinore Storm Announce Free "Open House" Seating For Game One of the California League Championship Series
Game One is for the Fans as Lake Elsinore Storm Announce Free "Open House" Seating for Game One of the California League Championship Series The Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres Single-A affiliate) secured the Southern Division championship with last night's victory over their Southern division rivals, the Visalia Rawhide (Diamondbacks Single-A
Lake Elsinore Storm Beat Visalia to Become South Division Champions Presented by The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm needed just one win to return to the California League Championship Series and, on Thursday night, they ended up needing just two runs to do so. The Storm played in front of over 1,300 fans as they beat the Visalia Rawhide by a final score of
Storm Offense Remains Relentless as Lake Elsinore Wins Game One Presented by The Valley News
The first inning of tonight's game is how many innings have looked since the team was overturned and 8 new position players were brought together over one month ago. This set up a dominant win for the Lake Elsinore Storm in game one of the California League Divisional Series over
Storm Reduce Prices, Pledge Percentage of Ticket Revenue to First Round Playoff Game for Airport Fire Relief
Due to the unfortunate and destructive Airport Fire, the Lake Elsinore Storm have decided to make tomorrow’s game more accessible for and supportive of the local community. Thunder Cares will be donating a percentage of the tickets sold to relief efforts, tickets have been reduced to $9, all remaining 2024
ANNOUNCEMENT: 2025 Lake Elsinore Storm Schedule
Before the final chapter of the 2024 season is written, the heroes named, and the victors immortally celebrated, the outline for the 2025 story is here. MiLB has announced the official schedule for the 2025 Lake Elsinore Storm. Unlike the 2024 schedule, 2025 has far fewer games played in July
Storm Win Final Regular Season Home Game and Series Presented by The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm have played through all 66 regular season home games and have come out victorious in a California League-best 42 of those contests after beating the Modesto Nuts on Sunday afternoon. The final score was the result of yet another game that included a crooked inning from
Nuts Come Out on Top, Threaten to Even Series Presented by The Valley News
The Storm packed 3,557 into The Lake Elsinore Diamond on Saturday night for the final Saturday of the season. The Storm, however, were not able to match the explosive fun during the game that would come well after the final out when fireworks were sent into the night sky. They
Storm Win Third Game of Homestand Presented by The Valley News
On a Friar Friday at The Lake Elsinore Diamond, the Storm put up a crooked number in the second inning just as their Big League counterparts have done all season long. The entire game was decided in the bottom of the second inning, however, starting pitching was once again a
Lake Elsinore Storm Lose Lead and Game Against Modesto Nuts Presented by The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm had won five in a row and were well on their way to winning their sixth straight before a late-game collapse cost them the first game of the series. The home team once again got a quality performance from their starting pitcher. Maikel Miralles went through
Storm Continue Offensive Surge, Win Game Two Over Nuts Presented by The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm offense continued its torrid pace tonight. They once again had double-digit hits while scoring six runs in a win over the Modesto Nuts. After the roster changes thrust him into the role, this was Javier Chacon's fourth start of the season. So far, he has given
Storm Score a Dozen, Beat Nuts at Home Presented by The Valley News
It didn't take the Storm long to illustrate their newfound offensive prowess. They won tonight at The Diamond by a final score of 12-6 over the Modesto Nuts. The turnover on the roster over the last three weeks has created nearly a brand-new team. However, last week, they did something
Storm Score Nine Runs in One Inning, Tie Series Presented by The Valley News
er the InaldnOn a hot day in Lake Elsinore, the Storm gave up multiple early runs to fall behind early. It would take a massive sixth inning to win the game over the Inland Empire 66ers. The away team tallied four runs and hits through the game's first two innings.
Storm Give up Three Runs in The 9th, Lose Third Game of The Series Presented By The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm managed to score just two runs in a 3-2 loss to the Inland Empire 66ers tonight. They carried a 2-0 lead into the final frame before a three-run disaster occurred. Miguel Mendez was the game's starter and his 4.2 innings of work included seven strikeouts, two
Storm Drop Friday Night Clash Against 66ers Presented by The Valley News
After back-to-back wins over Inland Empire, the Storm offense missed the big hit and lost by a final score of 4-3 on Friday night at The Lake Elsinore Diamond. Ian Koenig was tonight's starter for the Storm. He would navigate five frames, strike out five batters, and allow just two
Karpathios Walks Off 66ers, Storm Get Second Consecutive Win Presented by The Valley News
On a night the Lake Elsinore Storm were searching far and wide for offense, one swing of the bat completely turned the game around. Maikel Miralles was the starter for the home team tonight. He got through five innings of work with just one run to his name. That run
Storm Celebrate a Sweet Sixteen Blowout Against 66ers Presented by The Valley News
A night after the Lake Elsinore Storm offense failed to show up, the bats came alive in a 16-4 blowout win over the Inland Empire 66ers. Despite the double-digit final score, Inland Empire led the game through the first one-and-a-half innings. Javier Chacon was tonight's starter for the Storm. He
Storm Drop the First Game of the Series Against the Inland Empire 66ers Presented by The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm played their first game at home in two weeks tonight. On the road, the Storm saw roster-wide turnover as 12 players were promoted and 12 new players were brought to Lake Elsinore. In their first series as a somewhat new team, they crushed the Stockton Ports
Storm Win Fifth Straight Over Rawhide Presented by The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm continued their home excellence. In a series that was already won, in a season with the playoffs guaranteed, the Storm won their fifth straight game with a dramatic slide into home in the eighth inning. Prior to this electric slide, Isaiah Lowe was the day's starter.
Storm Beat Rawhide, Win Third Consecutive Series Presented by The Valley News
The Lake Elsinore Storm have already secured a playoff position after being on top of the California League South in the first half. They have decided to steamroll through the second half anyway. Tonight's 12-2 victory clinched their third consecutive series victory and included a stretch of 22 innings where
Storm Pitching Staff Keeps Rawhide Scoreless Presented by The Valley News
Tonight's game ended in a flash and it wasn't only due to the post-game fireworks that lit up the night sky. The Lake Elsinore Storm pitching staff once again proved indomitable tonight. Three pitchers would allow only four hits, strike out eight batters, and keep the Visalia Rawhide scoreless. Ian
Storm Walk Off Rawhide For 32nd Win of The Year Presented by The Valley News
The 2024 Lake Elsinore Storm have had a penchant for the theatrical. Their 32nd win at home was one of their many this season that ended on a Storm base hit. Jacob Campbell was tonight's dedicated walk-off hero. This is now the second time he has left the home crowd
Storm Take Down Rawhide, Win Game Two Presented by The Valley News
A night after a disappointing loss, the Lake Elsinore Storm took charge in a 5-1 victory over the Visalia Rawhide. Jose Luis Reyes was the Storm's starter tonight. He would once again prove efficient at home. He would work into the sixth inning with a final line of 5.2 innings
Lake Elsinore Storm Drop Series Opener to Visalia Rawhide Presented by The Valley News
It was a high-scoring affair at The Lake Elsinore Diamond tonight. Luis Gutierrez was on the bump and allowed a run in the first inning. The Storm would respond immediately with a Leodalis De Vries single followed by a Rosman Verdugo double off the Ad Monster. This was long and
Storm Get Shut Out in Final Game Before All-Star Break Presented by The Valley News
On the final game before the All-Star Break, the Lake Elsinore Storm were held scoreless in a 3-0 loss. They had Isaiah Lowe on the mound who has been consistently steady throughout the year (2.93 ERA). He would be the only pitcher to allow runs this afternoon. His final line