Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Paul Skenes Set For Professional Debut

To Pittsburgh Pirates fans and all those who celebrate, Happy Paul Skenes Day!

Even though it's not in the major leagues quite yet, it is the first Paul Skenes Day of his professional career. Thursday afternoon, the no. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft is set to make his professional debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Florida Complex League. So, Happy Paul Skenes Day to all those who celebrate!

At this point everyone knows all about Skenes. He throws a power fastball with an absolute wipeout slider. He also throws a changeup that is still developing, but is already a slightly above average pitch. The tools are there to be a perennial Cy Young Award candidate. Skenes has been touted as the best pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg for a reason.

At LSU this season Skenes was dominant. He pitched 122.2 innings, posting a 1.69 ERA. He allowed just 7 home runs, walked 20 batters, and struck out 209. If Skenes pitches well in the FCL, he could be making starts with one of the Pirate Low-A affiliates or perhaps even Double-A Altoona by the end of the season.

First pitch for the FCL Pirates is scheduled 12:00 PM ET on Thursday afternoon. Make sure to stay tuned here at Rum Bunter for coverage and news on the much anticipated professional debut of Skenes.