Randy Smith
Former LSU star Paul Skenes is having an historic season with the Pittsburgh Pirates thus far, even though his record is only 7-8. His current earned run average is 1.94, which is second in the National League and he's struck out 162 batters in 144 innings. At times Skenes can be totally dominant but he plays on such a bad team his record doesn't indicate that. As of today, Pittsburgh is 51-68 and in last place in the NL Central Division. There is even talk about Skenes winning the NL Cy Young award despite a losing record.
Skenes was a first round top choice in the 2023 MLB draft after leading the Bengal Tigers to a national title.
His signing bonus was just south of $10 million and his current salary is only $782,000 annually. That will change drastically very soon. The Pirates would love to keep Skenes and build their ball club around him but unless they add several talented players pretty quickly, his talents will be wasted in Pittsburgh. After a few years, he will likely be traded to another big league team for a whole bunch of good prospects which will ultimately be good for the Pirates.
Skenes is 6'-6" tall and consistently throws in the high 90's and hits 100 miles per hour several times each game. In his first ever big-league start he hit 100 mph seventeen times. He overpowers batters and not with just his blazing fast ball. His pitch repertoire is extensive. In addition to his four-seam fast ball, he throws a change-up, curve ball, a slider and what he calls a "splinker" which is a hybrid cross between a splitter and a sinker. The 2024 National League Rookie of the Year and two-time NL All Star played just a few games in the minor leagues before being called up to the Pirates in 2024. He's just that good.
He was 11-3 as a rookie in 2024 with an era of 1.96 in winning Rookie of the Year honors. And even though his earned run average is just as good, his pitching record has suffered because his team just isn't scoring runs for him. He's lost a lot of one run games and even won several close games as well. In Pittsburgh, he's a big fish in a small pond.
He first played at the Air Force Academy before transferring to LSU to play for the Tigers, where he won the Dick Howser award as College Baseball's top player in 2023. He was the MVP in the College World Series as well and his story began to take off before he was ever drafted. As good as he is on the mound, his ability as a hitter is about as good. In his freshman season at the Air Force in 2021, he pitched, was also a DH, catcher and first baseman, hitting .401. If the Pirates continue to struggle scoring runs for Skenes maybe they should let him grab a bat. They couldn't do any worse.
* * *
Randy Smith can be reached at rsmithsports@epbfi.com