Paul Skenes was perfect during his debut on the Triple-A level. Literally.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft did not allow a baserunner!
Paul Skenes, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, spent last season working his way up through the minor league system. He finished the year on the Double-A level and quickly proved his worth.
As a result of his strong performance, Skenes received an invitation to Spring Training. His stuff was nasty. His fastball frequently topped out above 100mph.
Although it was clear that Skenes is more than ready for the Major League level, Pittsburgh chose to let him incubate just a little bit longer. The Pirates assigned him to the Indianapolis Indians prior to his second season playing pro ball.
That won’t last long. Especially if he keeps dealing like he did on Saturday.
Skenes threw three innings against the Cincinnati Reds’ Triple-A club. He did not allow a single hit, run or walk and struck out five. Nine up, nine down!
Of his 21 fastballs, 12 of them hit triple digits. The slowest was clocked at 99.1. The average was 100.1.
It is like watching Picasso at work when Skenes pitches. His ability to paint the corners with stinky cheddar is beautiful art.
🔥🔥🔥🔥
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 30, 2024
4 strikeouts in 2 perfect innings for @Pirates' Paul Skenes in his @indyindians debut
Fastball velos:
99.7
100.0
100.4
100.8
99.2
100.5
99.3
99.4
100.3
100.3
100.5 pic.twitter.com/wueJnD7Myd
Skenes’ fifth strikeout of the afternoon is the perfect example.
The 3-2 pitch was up in the zone. He got Conner Capel to chase and blew it right past him.
You already know. 💯 pic.twitter.com/4jnw0G5dGt
— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) March 30, 2024
Pittsburgh’s plan for Skenes has not been announced publicly. It is a mystery.
However, the Pirates are going to have a very hard time keeping him down if he continues to throw perfect innings with an average velocity of more than 100 on his fastball. His stuff is clearly ready to face MLB bats and his consistent ability to hammer the zone is something that could prove to be the difference when it comes to a Wild Card spot!