Paul Skenes called up by Pirates for MLB debut

Paul Skenes was a phenomenon at LSU and the lynchpin to their National Championship run. In the minor leagues, he has been tearing it up and now the wait to see him in the Show is finally over. The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that they are calling up their top prospect to face the Chicago Cubs.

Skenes was the first overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft and has a rocket for an arm, seeing him ranked as the number one pitching prospect in the Majors and the number three overall.

The 6′6″ Skenes has a triple digit fastball and a slider that will spin a batter, he posted a 0.99 ERA in Triple A Indianapolis, notching up 45 Ks in 27.1 innings of work. During his time in the farm system, he has reportedly added a changeup and a curve to the arsenal.

The Pirates have been taking it slow with Skenes, but prior to his stint at LSU, Skenes was a power hitting two-way player who hit .410 in 2021 and .312 in 2022 with Air Force. LSU converted him to a pitcher only and the Pirates look like they are going down that same road. But it is worth remembering that he has that in his back pocket.

Skenes will join a rotation headed by Mitch Keller, who had his contract extended this spring, and rookie Jared Jones. The three could very well serve as the front three of this rotation for years to come.