Pirates top pick making mockery of minor league hitters

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Pirates No. 1 overall pick continues to make mockery of minor league hitters

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 4/18/24

The Pittsburgh Pirates used the 2023 No. 1 overall pick on right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes, and they have to be excited with what they have seen so far from him in the minor leagues. It is also getting to a point where the Pirates have to seriously consider giving him a call to the major leagues.

Skenes is still working on building up his arm strength and pitching on a professional rotation, but he isn't even getting anything resembling a challenge in Triple-A.

Skenes made his fourth start of the season on Thursday night and struck out eight more batters in 3.1 innings, while also allowing just one hit and two walks.

For the season, he has pitched 12.2 innings, not allowed a single run, allowed just nine base runners (five hits, four walks) and struck out 27 batters. He does it while consistently throwing between 100 and 102 mph.

Skenes makes firing 100+ mph fastballs look oh, so easy. pic.twitter.com/gkJi2b0u2H
— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) April 19, 2024

When Skenes was picked out of LSU, he was regarded as one of the best pitching prospects since Stephen Strasburg was picked by the Washington Nationals, and so far his Triple-A performance is matching the hype.

The question now becomes when does he get a chance to prove this in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates are going to be cautious with Skenes, just as most teams are with prized pitching prospects these days, and want to build up his arm strength and gradually bring up his pitch count and workload. At some point, though, it might make sense for the Pirates to allow him to do that in Pittsburgh. Not only would it make their team better in a wide-open and very competitive National League Central, it would also give Skenes something he is not currently getting in Triple-A — a challenge.

Every time he starts, it is obvious that he is on a different level than the hitters he is facing, and they are not offering any sort of resistance against him. Even if he only goes three or four innings with 50 or 60 pitches in the majors, it still might be more worthwhile for both him and the team.

With Skenes, rookie starter Jared Jones (another power arm who is striking out batters at a historic rate early in his major league career) and veteran Mitch Keller, the Pirates might actually have the foundation of an outstanding long-term rotation. Now they just need to get Skenes to the major leagues to actually see it in action.

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