The Pittsburgh Pirates selected former LSU right-hander Paul Skenes with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft on Sunday night.
A bold move to a different banana-colored bench than we anticipated | Keep it a Buck(et)
Skenes is the sixth No. 1 draft selection in Pirates franchise history, joining third baseman Jeff King (1986), catcher Henry Davis (2021) and right-handers Kris Benson (1996), Bryan Bullington (2002) and Gerrit Cole (2011).
After spending the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Air Force, Skenes shined during his time with the Tigers, going 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA in 19 starts in 2023. He was named National Player of the Year and National Pitcher of the Year before helping LSU prevail at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., where he earned CWS Most Outstanding Player honors.
In addition to his time with the Tigers and Falcons, Skenes also played for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2021.
–Field Level Media
