On this put up, which the powers that be (me) have began calling: Looking out For Sugar, Man. Not Trying to find Sugar Man, the documentary that gained the Academy Award. That is placing Paul Skenes into an enormous sugar packet and trying to find extra of that. May have known as it Trying to find the Subsequent Paul Skenes, I suppose. On this Looking out For Sugar, Man, it’s simply me flipping via minor league stats for an amazing pitcher. As I stated in my Jackson Jobe fantasy the opposite day, it will be very tough to search out one other Paul Skenes, since we’ve performed roughly one hundred-ish years of baseball and there’s been about 5 rookie pitchers who’ve been nearly as good as Skenes. No large deal, simply exit and provides us one thing we solely see each 20 or so years. As talked about earlier this 12 months when discussing Skenes, I attempted to provide you with the perfect rookie seasons for pitchers, and I feel it’s 1. Mark Fidyrich 2. Fernando Valenzuela (RIP) 3. Dwight Gooden 4. Tom Seaver 5. Jose Fernandez, 6. John Montefusco, then Paul Skenes. Bubba Chandler might be nice and price rostering for fantasy, and never come anyplace near approaching that checklist. So, what can we count on from Bubba Chandler for 2025 fantasy baseball?
First, right here’s some clips of Bubba Chandler:
No large deal, simply Bubba Chandler taking an ideal sport into the sixth with 10 punchies for the @indyindians ?
The @Pirates‘ top-ranked prospect has a 1.59 ERA since arriving on the Minors’ highest degree final month. pic.twitter.com/zIB0EE4swp
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 11, 2024
Then, the dazzles continued:
Bubba Chandler’s (@Pirates No. 1 prospect) numbers throughout seven Triple-A @indyindians begins after 8 punchouts Tuesday night time:
?? 1.83 ERA
? 12.4 Okay/9
?? .183 BAA pic.twitter.com/zFZYji4u6Y— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 18, 2024
And, the well-attended closing clip:
.@Bubbachandler_ is rolling.
5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 Okay on 69 pitches, 51 strikes. pic.twitter.com/KTPSp9wj87
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) September 8, 2023
Fairly a turnout to see the Altoona Curve in that final clip. I needed to rapidly google to see if there was a pandemic in Altoona in 2023. There wasn’t from what I noticed. Bubba Chandler’s Triple-A stats had been talked about in that 2nd clip, I gained’t repeat them right here. That was with a 3.4 BB/9. Chandler additionally noticed velocity will increase, up 1.4 MPH, and elevated extension, whereas reducing his launch peak, and his speedball was already sitting 97. Goofy. His 87 MPH change has grow to be an issue and his slider is a WIP, work in progress (acronyms aren’t nice when it’s a must to spell them out). Once I watch his clips, I see a man working arduous. That’s not nice both. These are quibbles. I’m simply separating him from Skenes-like expectations.
Bubba Chandler simply turned 22 years outdated and is usually a dynamite quantity two. His command has me a little bit involved. He appears like he might be a Hunter Greene-type who takes a little bit bit to search out his MLB footing. Then it’s a must to assume he’s going to begin the 12 months within the minors as a result of: Pirates. Appears like a man who will probably be a last-round choice in 12-team leagues, and perhaps a better flier (dude, I obtained rhymes!) in draft and holds, as we await his arrival. Skenes’s ETA was Might eleventh, so when is Bubba Chandler? Are you considering Might or June? What if I stated Opening Day? Have a look at what the Pirates did with Jared Jones, beginning him from the bounce. The Pirates may see Skenes and suppose they need to save him for themselves and stall his arbitration, whereas Jones and Chandler are superb to begin the 12 months. That may not be the craziest thought. Going out on a limb however I say that’s what the Pirates do. That limb is just like the prolonged arm of a 6’2″, 200-pound pitcher named Bubba. For 2025 fantasy baseball, I’ll give Bubba Chandler projections of 8-10/3.95/1.36/153 in 138 IP with an opportunity for extra.
