Bubba Chandler had another career-best start in Altoona on Wednesday night. Chandler set personal bests in strikeouts in each of his last two starts, striking out 10 and then 11 batters. This time around, he set a new career-high in innings, carrying a shutout into the eighth.
Chandler pitched 7.2 shutout innings, allowing two hits, no walks, and striking out seven as Altoona won 3-0. The latest performance is a continuation of what is now an impressive stretch extending beyond a month. Since May 29th, Chandler has a 2.19 ERA in 37 innings, with a 45:4 K/BB ratio.
Before this run of pitching, Chandler was struggling a bit in his jump to Double-A. He had allowed a 5.84 ERA in his first 24.2 innings, which was mostly due to nine runs in 4.1 innings across two starts in May. He had 30 strikeouts and 18 walks before May 29th. He also was shut down after his shortened May 17th outing with precautionary concern over forearm soreness from an old injury.
Chandler returned from that precautionary shutdown and has excelled on the mound ever since, hitting a new gear over his last three starts. He has an 0.84 ERA in 21.1 innings, with a 28:2 K/BB ratio since June 21st.
Yesterday I released my updated top prospect rankings, with Chandler as the new number one in the system. He’s got the best chance of joining the elite rotation that is forming in Pittsburgh, with only Paul Skenes having more upside. The fact that Chandler is starting to consistently show his own talent level in Double-A is very encouraging.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS was postponed.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA won 3-0, led by seven shutout innings from Bubba Chandler.
- 1B Carter Bins: 2-for-4, 2B
- 3B Charles McAdoo: 1-for-3, BB
- LF Sammy Siani: 1-for-5, 3B
- RF Yoyner Fajardo: 1-for-4, 2B, SB
- 2B-1B Jackson Glenn: 1-for-3, BB, RBI
Carter Bins got his first career start at first base, while going 2-for-4 with a double at the plate. Bins usually works as a catcher, and still delivers power, despite the workload. It will be interesting to see how he hits if he continues getting time at first. Charles McAdoo has reached base safely in 10 of his 11 games in Altoona, with hits in eight of those games.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO won 6-5
- SS Termarr Johnson: 1-for-3, 2 BB, SB
- 2B Mitch Jebb: 1-for-2, 3 BB, 2 SB
- 3B Jack Brannigan: 1-for-4, RBI
- DH Nick Cimillo: 1-for-3, 2 BB, RBI
- RHP Derek Diamond: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Termarr Johnson picked up a single and two walks, while stealing his 14th base of the season. Mitch Jebb had a single and three walks, and his two stolen bases put him at 20 on the year. Greensboro got five innings of one-run ball from their bullpen, led by two shutout frames from Jaycob Deese, who has been one of their best relievers over the last month.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON won 10-5
- 1B Axiel Plaz: 2-for-5, HR, 2B
- LF Miguel Sosa: 1-for-3, HR, 2 BB
- 3B Jeral Toledo: 3-for-4, BB, 3 RBI
- CF Solomon Maguire: 2-for-5, SB
- 2B Wesley Zapata: 2-for-3, 2B, BB, 2 RBI
Axiel Plaz hit his team-leading tenth home run, while also hitting his third double. Plaz is a 5′ 11″, 165 pound catcher in his third season in pro ball. What’s impressive about his home run total is that he joined Bradenton on May 17th, after two weeks in the FCL. He homered in his first two games in Bradenton, and hasn’t looked back. He’s got a three-outcomes approach right now, with a .217/.293/.528 line in 123 plate appearances, but a respectable 26% strikeout rate. Miguel Sosa was recently brought up from the FCL, and hit his first homer in Bradenton.
STATCAST HEROES
The homer from Plaz traveled 402 feet at 110.3 MPH. Sosa’s homer traveled 98.9 MPH.
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 6:35 PM – RHP Luis Cessa (2-3, 4.13)
- Double-A: Altoona, 7:00 PM – RHP Thomas Harrington (0-2, 3.16)
- High-A: Greensboro, 6:30 PM – LHP Hunter Barco (3-1, 3.16)
- Single-A: Bradenton, 7:05 PM – RHP Aaron Shortridge (0-1, 11.57)
- Rookie: FCL Pirates, 10:00 AM – TBD
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Black, 10:00 AM – TBD
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Gold, 11:00 AM – TBD
