For first round picks, the leash is very short to get the player to the big club as fast as possible. Paul Skenes was the first overall pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023, and just put up one of the more impressive outings in baseball on Friday, in just his second big league start.
Skenes, who turns 22 on May 29, was called up on May 11. The hard-throwing right-hander was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 College World Series, where his LSU Tigers took home their seventh National Title, and first since 2009. In addition to the postseason award, Skenes was also named National Pitcher of the year, finishing his career with a 24-6 record, and 335 strikeouts in 235.0 innings. Additionally, Skenes had 11 saves, and a 2.18 ERA.
Making his debut with the Pirates against the Chicago Cubs on the day he was called up, Skenes had seven strikeouts in four innings, but surrendered three earned runs, including a home run. Skenes also hit a batter, and walked two in a no decision. The Pirates rallied for a 10-9 win, on the strength of five home runs in the friendly confines of PNC Park.
His ERA was 6.75 at the time of being pulled by manager Derek Shelton.
Skenes was signed to a $9.2 million bonus, which was the largest for a drafted player in history. As is about average, Skenes signed a one-year contract with the Pirates. The deal is for around $740,000, but his adjusted salary with the Pirates comes out to about $560,898.
So why the nearly $10 million in signing bonus?
If his outing on Friday, again against the Cubs, is any indication, the Pirates are hopeful this is the future ace of their staff. Skenes struck out 11, including the first seven batters he faced. In fact, Skenes did not even surrender a hit in his six innings of work, dropping his ERA to 2.70. The only batter to reach base was a walk to Michael Busch in the bottom of the fifth. The Cubs plated three in the bottom of the eighth, but Pittsburgh was already up 9-0 at this point, meaning that Skenes was in place for his first Major League victory.
Of the 84 pitches Skenes threw in his debut on May 11, 17 were clocked at or over 100 mph. Mike Tauchman struck out on pitch 100 on Friday, which was his 12th to reach the century mark.
Skenes is the sixth player to be taken first overall by the Pirates since the MLB Amateur Draft was established in 1965. The Houston Astros, New York Mets, and San Diego Padres are tied for second with five. Seven teams have never had the first overall selection, down from eight, as the Cleveland Guardians can take their name off the list this summer.
Most recently, the Pirates selected catcher Henry Davis first overall in 2021. Davis hit .201 with one home run, and 28 RBIs before being sent down to AAA Indianapolis on May 4.
The 6-foot-6, 235 pound Skenes has the size and length to throw gas, but the concern is making sure the Pirates do not burn his golden arm out within the first few years. Already we have seen Atlanta’s Spencer Strider, Cleveland’s Shane Bieber, and Miami’s Eury Perez were all lost for the season with elbow surgeries. Strider avoided Tommy John, but the other two likely will not pitch until the summer of 2025. Steven Strasburg had two Tommy John surgeries after being drafted first overall by the Washington Nationals in 2009. At least Strasburg got a World Series MVP out of it in 2019, the Nationals’ only title to date.
As if getting his first victory in Wrigley Field is not enough, Skenes is dating the most famous female NCAA athlete in the country right now. Caitlin Clark is now a professional, so Olivia “Livvy” Dunne moves back to the top spot. Dunne, 22, is a gymnast on the LSU Lady Tigers squad, who was the first to sign a Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) deal. A social media influencer with over 13 million combined Instagram and TikTok followers, Dunne was recently named to grace the 60th anniversary of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In May of 2023, Dunne was reported to have more than $3 million in NIL deals.
So Paul Skenes gets to rock a fantastic 1980’s mustache, become the new face of a legendary MLB franchise, and have bragging rights in the WAG (“Wives and Girlfriends”) club all before his birthday in two weeks.
I have some serious planning to do for mine next weekend then, don’t I?!
-JC24