Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick of the 2023 MLB draft, will start the season in the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ farm system, general manager Ben Cherington told reporters Tuesday in Bradenton, Florida.
Cherington said Skenes still has some things to work on, including adapting to a major league season schedule. He did not say whether the right-hander will start the season at Triple-A Indianapolis or Double-A Altoona.
For now, he will remain at spring training to work with the Pirates.
Skenes, 21, said he discussed his immediate future with Cherington.
“I’ve thrown 6⅔ innings in pro ball. It’s just kind of how it goes,” Skenes told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “[Cherington] said it would be unprecedented if I started the year in the big leagues. Not that I don’t think I can do it, but I understand it.”
Those innings were split among five starts after last summer’s draft at the Rookie, Single-A and Double-A levels. He gave up four earned runs on five hits and two walks, striking out 10. Skenes had no decisions and a 5.40 ERA.
This spring, he’s thrown three innings, allowing one run and striking out three. A 6-foot-6 flamethrower, his pitches have been clocked as high as 102 mph.
Pitching for LSU in the 2023 season, Skenes was 13-2 with a 1.69 ERA in 19 starts with two complete games. He struck out 209 batters in 122⅔ innings.