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NY Post
New York Post
11 Aug 2023


NextImg:Pirates’ Paul Skenes hits 101 mph in dazzling pro debut

Now that’s an electric debut.

Pittsburgh Pirates prospect and No. 1 draft pick Paul Skenes lit up radar guns while hitting 101 mph in an unscathed inning in his minors debut Thursday.

Skenes, a former LSU standout, started for the FCL Pirates and induced a groundout, fly out and struck out the final batter he faced with 99-mph gas.

The righty hit 100 mph with seven of his 11 pitches, according to MLB Pipeline.

Skenes is considered by many analysts to be one of the best pitching prospects in recent memory, drawing comparisons to former No. 1 selections and eventual MLB aces in Stephen Strasburg (2009) and ex-Pirate Gerrit Cole (2011).

The 21-year-old is already the No. 3 prospect — and top pitcher — in the minors, according to MLB.com, which estimates he’ll be in the majors next year.

The Pirates signed the hard-throwing righty to a record $9.2 million bonus, per MLB.com, which shattered the previous record held by Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson.

Paul Skenes brought the heat in the pro debut.
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Skenes showcased some of that potential in his brief 11-pitch outing Thursday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League against the Twins’ FCL team.

Here are the velocities of each of Skenes’ pitches, per MLB pipeline: 99, 100, 100, 100, 89, 101, 101, 101, 99, 101, 99.

That will play — oh, yes, that will play.

Skenes threw eight of his 11 pitches for strikes and also broke a bat.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes #23 delivers a pitch

Skenes received a record draft bonus after being the top pick in 2023.
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

His performance ended with him striking out Walter Jenkins, the No. 5 pick in the 2023 draft and MLB.com’s No. 16 prospect, with a 99-mph heater.

Skenes, rumored to be dating LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne, had last pitched June 22 when he tossed eight scoreless frames against Wake Forest in the College World Series.

He went 13-2 with a 1.69 ERA while striking out 209 batters spanning 122 ⅔ innings in his lone season with the Tigers that ended with a national title.

Paul Skenes
Paul Skenes hit 101 mph in his minors debut Thursday.
USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

It shouldn’t be too long before Skenes is showcasing that talent in Pittsburgh but, for now, he’ll continue to dominate minor leaguers with his triple-digit heat.