Former LSU All-American Paul Skenes has earned a promotion to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ active roster, and the right-handed pitcher is set to make his MLB debut this Saturday as the Pirates take on the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
Selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Pirates in last summer’s MLB Draft, Skenes becomes the 84th Major Leaguer in the storied history of LSU Baseball. The 21-year-old California native arrives in Pittsburgh after an impressive showing in Triple-A this season, surrendering just three earned runs in 27.1 innings while striking out 45 batters.
Skenes, who hails from Lake Forest, Calif., played a pivotal role in leading LSU to the 2023 College World Series title and was honored with the Dick Howser Trophy as the best player in NCAA Division I.
In his standout 2023 season, Skenes, also named the 2023 D1 Baseball National Player of the Year and the SEC Pitcher of the Year, amassed a remarkable 13-2 record with a 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings. He notched an SEC-record 209 strikeouts while issuing just 20 walks. He led the nation in several categories, including strikeouts (209), strikeouts per nine innings (15.33), and WHIP (0.75).
Furthermore, Skenes ranked among the top pitchers nationally in ERA (1.69), strikeout-to-walk ratio (10.45), and hits allowed per nine innings (5.28). He was hailed as the Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series, delivering stellar performances both on the mound and at the plate.
Off the field, Skenes, a member of the 2023 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll, demonstrated his commitment to service by pledging $10 for every strikeout he recorded last season to Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization providing educational scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled military and first responders.
Skenes’ ascent to the majors marks a significant milestone for LSU Baseball under the guidance of head coach Jay Johnson, who took the reins in Baton Rouge in 2022. Notably, LSU has seen at least one former player make their MLB debut in 30 of the past 34 seasons.
