The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced they have signed right-handed pitcher/shortstop Bubba Chandler, the club’s third round selection (72nd overall) in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft.
The 18-year-old Chandler was rated as the 20th-best player in the 2021 draft by Baseball America (21st overallby MLB Pipeline).
Chandler went 8-1 with a 1.25 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 44.2 innings while setting a school record with a 17-strikeout performance in the playoffs during his senior year at North Oconee (GA) High School. He also hit .411 with 12 doubles, eight home runs, 35 RBI and 41 runs scored while playing shortstop for North Oconee this pastseason.
The switch-hitting Chandler was a Collegiate Baseball first-team All-American selection as a multi-sport athlete in 2021 while also being named the Region 8-AAAA Player-of-the-Year in baseball.
Chandler also played quarterback for three seasons at North Oconee, where he passed for 1,842 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing 79 times for 548 yards and six touchdowns as a senior.
Chandler was rated by Perfect Game as the 13th-best player in the class of 2021, the third-best player in the state of Georgia and the fourth-best right-handed pitcher among the class of 2021 (No. 1 in the state of Georgia).
During his abbreviated junior year, the 6’3’’ Chandler stuck out 16 batters in 7.0 innings while hitting .435. He also went 7-0 with 55 strikeouts in 41.1 innings while hitting .356 as a sophomore in 2019.
Chandler, who will begin his pro career in the Florida Complex League, was signed by Pirates scout Cam Murphy.
