Skenes gets the call, heads to The Show

PITTSBURGH – The wait for Paul Skenes is finally over. The Pirates announced on Wednesday that they are promoting their top prospect to the Majors. Skenes, a fireballing right-hander, is scheduled to make his first start on Saturday against the Cubs at PNC Park (4:05 p.m. ET), according to the club.

Skenes was the first overall pick in last year’s Draft and is currently ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the game, including the top pitcher, by MLB Pipeline. The 6-foot-6 Skenes burst onto the national scene last year with Louisiana State University, being named the D1 National Player of the Year and leading his school to the College World Series title.

Armed with a fastball that consistently registers in the triple digits and a wipeout slider, Skenes certainly lived up to the hype during his time in the Minors this year, where he recorded a 0.99 ERA and 45 strikeouts over 27 1/3 innings with Triple-A Indianapolis. He has also developed his pitch repertoire in his time as a professional, mixing in his changeup, curveball and “splinker” (a sinker-splitter hybrid) more, adding additional weapons to his arsenal.

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While there were some cries for Skenes to start the season in the Majors, the Pirates wanted to be diligent with his adjustment to the professional game and his workload management. After throwing 112 1/3 innings in his first two collegiate seasons with the Air Force Academy, he threw 122 2/3 frames as a junior with LSU. He also pitched the normal college routine, making one start a week, rather than following a typical professional five-day rotation schedule. Because of that, the Pirates opted to have him toss some shorter outings with Indianapolis before stretching him out further in mid-April.

It’s easy to see why keeping Skenes’ right arm strong is the Pirates’ top priority; MLB Pipeline grades his fastball as an 80, the highest possible mark on the scouting scale. Some have suggested Skenes is the top pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg, and even his opponents have marveled at his stuff.

“I think he was probably throwing like 110 [mph],” Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday said after striking out against Skenes at Spring Breakout in March. “That’s what it looked like.

“If he keeps throwing like that, it won’t be too long until he’s in the big leagues,” Holliday later said of Skenes. It turns out he was right.

Skenes will join a rotation headed by Mitch Keller, who had his contract extended this spring, and rookie Jared Jones. That trio could very well serve as the front three of the Pirates’ rotation for years to come.

But first comes Skenes’ debut, which should be one of the most anticipated starts to a career in Pirates history.