TWO-WAY WONDER
Baseball America|June 2021
Bubba Chandler excels on the mound, in the field, on the gridiron and in every other athletic endeavor
ALEXIS BRUDNICKI
TWO-WAY WONDER

The laundry list of sports that Bubba Chandler excels at is lengthy.

Whether he’s on the diamond, the gridiron, the field, the court, the green—the consensus is that he will excel.

Committed to Clemson to play both baseball and football, Chandler is a two-way draft prospect with high upside on the mound who transforms into a switch-hitting shortstop anytime he’s not on the hill. Minor football injuries brought the quarterback’s high school basketball career to a premature end before his junior year. But he can still dunk, and there’s little doubt that he could stretch the imagination in any sporting venue.

“He’s a competitor, so you can put him on a basketball court and he’s going to be really good; take him out to the golf course and he’s really good at that, too,” said Tyler Aurandt, Chandler’s football coach at North Oconee High in Bogart, Ga. “He’s the kind of naturally gifted athlete you don’t see very often.”

“Bubba was probably the best basketball player in our school,” said Jay Lasley, the Titans’ baseball coach. “I would imagine if you gave him a soccer ball, he could probably go out on a high school soccer field and compete and do something to help a team win.

“The crazy thing about Bubba is Bubba can throw a football over 50 yards lefthanded. He actually pitched one inning this season lefthanded.”

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BASEBALL AMERICAView all
THE SERVICE TIME CONUNDRUM
Baseball America

THE SERVICE TIME CONUNDRUM

MLB’s byzantine service time rules cloud rookie status and now PPI eligibility

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
LUIS TIANT WAS MLB'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CUBAN PITCHER
Baseball America

LUIS TIANT WAS MLB'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CUBAN PITCHER

On a scouting trip to Cuba in 1957, Bobby Avila discovered 16-year-old righthander Luis Tiant on the island's Juvenile League all-star team.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
ORGANIZATION REPORT
Baseball America

ORGANIZATION REPORT

Outfielder Heston Kjerstad's career has been unique, to say the least.

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2024
TOP 10 NL EAST
Baseball America

TOP 10 NL EAST

From the moment Thomas White stepped on a high school mound, he was viewed as the top lefthander available in the 2023 draft.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
PREPARATION PAYS OFF
Baseball America

PREPARATION PAYS OFF

lowa politician J.D. Scholten makes a surprising return to pro ball at age 44

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
MAKING THE GRADE
Baseball America

MAKING THE GRADE

Assessing the future value of graduated National League prospects

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
TOP 10 NL WEST
Baseball America

TOP 10 NL WEST

Even in high school, Bryce Eldridge could hit the ball a mile. The 6-foot-7 righthander could also touch 96 mph off the mound.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Baseball America

Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.

Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.

time-read
2 mins  |
August/September 2024
ROAD BLOCK?
Baseball America

ROAD BLOCK?

Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha

time-read
4 mins  |
August/September 2024
ROYALS REVIVAL
Baseball America

ROYALS REVIVAL

A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound

time-read
6 mins  |
August/September 2024