Former star LSU baseball pitcher Paul Skenes to make MLB debut this weekend

After an elite junior season in 2023, former LSU baseball pitcher Paul Skenes is now expected to make his MLB debut less than a year later this weekend as a part of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Former LSU baseball pitcher Paul Skenes is on his way to the big leagues

Well, it’s about time, don’t you think?

After dominating just about everywhere he’s been over the last year or so, former LSU baseball pitcher Paul Skenes is finally expected to make his MLB debut this weekend vs. the Chicago Cubs.

PS… See you soon. 😏 pic.twitter.com/r3Uv8vE1qA

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 8, 2024

Proud of you Paul. Congratulations, it’s your time! @LSUbaseball @Pirates you have a superstar player and elite person. https://t.co/PfszmmQnBJ

— Jay Johnson (@LSUCoachJ) May 8, 2024

When the Pittsburgh Pirates selected the 6-foot-6, 235-pound Skenes with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, they made a very conscious decision to be as careful with his arm as possible. Having thrown 235 innings over the course of his three year collegiate career, his arm has been through quite a bit, which was likely one of the main reasons they elected to keep him in the minors slightly longer than expected.

Despite many anticipating a potential jump to the MLB prior to the start of the 2024 season, Pittsburgh kept him in the Triple-A to preserve his arm and potentially allow him to do some serious damage in the latter portions of the year.

In turn, he took his opportunity to show off his 100+ MPH fastball and dominate as a part of the Indianapolis Indians. In his seven appearances, the Lake Forest, CA, product logged 27.1 innings pitched for a 0.99 ERA (Earned Run Average), totaling 17 hits compared to an impressive 45 strikeouts.

Now, as we look ahead to this weekend, his time in the Triple-A has just about come to a close, as he will reportedly make his major league debut this Saturday against the Chicago Cubs in the second game of the series. With the Pirates, he’ll be joining one of the more intimidating pitching rotations in the country, highlighted by veteran Mitch Keller and fellow rookie Jared Jones.

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