The Pittsburgh Pirates are taking a big step.
The Pirates announced Wednesday on social media that they will call up right-hander Paul Skenes, the organization’s top pitching prospect and one of the top 10 prospects in all of MLB.
Skenes, who will turn 22 on May 29, has been on the fast track to the majors since being selected by the Pirates with the first pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. He made five starts in three levels of professional baseball on last year, going from rookie to Double-A over the course of August and September.
Before that, Skenes was the terror of the SEC last year. He spent 2023 baffling hitters with LSU, helping lead the team to a College World Series title with a 1.69 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 19 starts.
The Pirates started Skenes in Triple-A this season, and he has been knocking out hitters. After his seventh start of the season on Sunday, Skenes had a 0.99 ERA with 45 strikeouts and just eight walks. He allowed the first home run of his professional career on Sunday as part of his two earned runs, which raised his ERA to a minuscule 0.39.
Paul Skenes allowed his first professional home run today.
At 421 feet with an EV of 105.4 mph and a launch angle of 26°, this ball had an expected CF rate of 91.7% and would certainly come out of PNC Park. pic.twitter.com/9tmQ48mgxV
—Adam Naliwajko (@AdamNaliwajko) May 5, 2024
While some of those numbers make it seem like Skenes was MLB-ready much sooner, they don’t tell the whole story. He has made seven starts but averages less than four innings per start. He has yet to throw more than 75 pitches in a game and didn’t throw more than 65 until April 24.
Those aren’t major league-caliber numbers, but there’s a strategy behind them. The Pirates have been trying to stretch Skenes out slowly, adding a little more work to each outing. They need his stamina to improve to be an effective major league pitcher, but not at the expense of his health.
Skenes’ last outing in Triple A on Sunday wasn’t his best, but his outing the week before was arguably his best performance of the season. Against the Buffalo Bisons on April 30, Skenes allowed four hits and zero runs in a season-high six innings, striking out seven and walking one.
Skenes is expected to make his first start for the Pirates on Saturday, when they host the Chicago Cubs.
