An elite college hitter is on the doorstep of making his Major League debut.
Selected with a premier pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the star catcher and designated hitter batted .367 with a 1.124 OPS at the NCAA Division I level. Since joining his big league organization, he’s dominated the Minor Leagues and appears to be nearing his first MLB appearance.
That player is Pirates pitching phenom Paul Skenes. You knew that, right?
Yes, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 pitching prospect is also quite the hitter. While Skenes has converted to pitching full time, his background at the plate is almost as impressive as his arsenal on the mound.
More on Skenes:
• Skenes fans first 7, allows zero hits in second start
• 11 ways Skenes' stellar start has put him in rare air
• Skenes' cleats pay homage to armed forces
• After 1st 2 MLB starts, here's what Cubs have to say about Skenes
• Skenes strikes out 7, tops 100 mph 17 times in MLB debut
• 3 takeaways about Skenes' stuff from his debut
• Splinker? Skenes' hybrid pitch may be most electric
• Get your own Paul Skenes Pirates jersey
• Highlights
• Rankings: MLB No. 2 | Pirates No. 1 | RHP No. 1
Before transferring to LSU and being selected No. 1 overall in the Draft, Skenes spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as a productive two-way player at the Air Force Academy. Playing in the Mountain West Conference, Skenes put together an absolutely monstrous freshman season: a .410/.486/.697 line (and a 1.183 OPS) in 188 at-bats. He served as the Falcons’ closer, coming out of his catcher or DH spot to close out games.
In 2021, Skenes was the only player in Division I to reach double digits in both home runs AND saves (11 of each). Baseball America, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the Collegiate Baseball News all named him a first-team all-American.
Skenes hit .314 with 13 homers and a 1.046 OPS as a sophomore in 2022, transitioning to a weekend starting role for Air Force. When he transferred to LSU for the 2023 season, he decided to give up hitting, focusing on pitching in hopes of remaining healthy for the entire year.
That strategy clearly worked, as Skenes put up an all-time dominant season as the Tigers romped to the national championship: a 1.69 ERA with 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings of work. Not bad for a player who didn’t even start pitching until his senior year at El Toro (Calif.) High School.
It seems unlikely that Skenes will be making a return to the plate in the professional ranks. Before the 2023 Draft, Skenes expressed his desire to pitch and hit at the pro level. But after the Pirates picked him first overall, general manager Ben Cherington said having Skenes hit “hasn’t been our focus.”
Given Skenes’ prowess on the mound, it makes some sense. The Bucs’ top prospect hasn’t picked up a bat in the Minors, but he owns a 0.53 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 17 innings so far in 2024 with Triple-A Indianapolis. With the National League adopting the universal designated hitter in 2022, Skenes isn’t likely to show off his hitting skill at the MLB level, either.
But if the Pirates ever need a pinch-hitter, they could do a lot worse.