• Full name Paul David Skenes
  • Born 05/29/2002 in Fullerton, CA
  • Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School Louisiana State
  • Drafted in the 1st round (1st overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023 (signed for $9,200,000).
    View Draft Report
    School: Louisiana State Source: 4YR

    Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
    Age At Draft: 21.1
    BA Grade:65/High
    Tools:Fastball: 70. Slider: 70. Changeup: 60. Control: 60.

    Skenes put together one of the best seasons that Air Force had ever seen in 2021 as a freshman, when he hit .410/.486/.697 with 11 home runs and also posted a 2.70 ERA in 26.2 innings out of the bullpen. He followed that up with another excellent 2022 season on both sides of the ball, and announced a transfer to Louisiana State for the 2023 season, where he went from a no-doubt first round talent as a two-way player to the best college starter since Stephen Strasburg in 2009. Skenes dropped hitting and focused on pitching in Baton Rouge, while working with former Twins pitching coach Wes Johnson. In one of the most offensive college baseball environments in history, Skenes routinely shut the door on opposing offenses and was a Golden Spikes Award semi-finalist. He posted a 1.69 ERA over 19 starts and 122.2 innings, with a 45.1% strikeout rate and 4.3% walk rate. He broke LSU and the SEC’s single season strikeout record and led the nation with 209 strikeouts—51 more than the No. 2 pitcher in the country. Along with center fielder Dylan Crews, Skenes helped push LSU to a College World Series championship. After sitting 93-94 mph with his fastball in 2022, Skenes averaged more than 98 mph in 2023 and has touched 103 mph at peak velocity. He also changed the shape of his mid-80s slider, going from a short-breaking pitch to one with sweeper action with 11 inches of horizontal movement. Both pitches are 70-grade offerings, with a 31% miss rate on the fastball and a 65% miss rate on the slider. Skenes hasn’t thrown it much, but his upper-80s changeup also has plus potential. He’s an efficient mover on the mound and has a clean, easy delivery with plus control and a workhorse, 6-foot-6, 247-pound frame that allows him to hold upper-90s velocity deep into starts. Skenes has legitimate front-of-the-rotation, ace upside and is also one of the most big league-ready prospects in the class. He has a chance to go first overall.

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Career Transactions

  • RHP Paul Skenes roster status changed by Pittsburgh Pirates.
  • RHP Paul Skenes assigned to FCL Pirates.
  • FCL Pirates activated RHP Paul Skenes.
  • Pittsburgh Pirates signed RHP Paul Skenes.

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