From LSU Hero to MLB Hope: Skenes' Rise Under the Spotlight

The last few years for former LSU Superstar Paul Skenes have been an ABSOLUTE whirlwind. It really and truly has been like watching a baseball fairy tale play out in real life.

After transferring to LSU from the Air Force Academy, the man has been on quite a ride. He broke Ben McDonald's SEC & LSU record for most strikeouts in a season - striking out 203 batters in 2023. Also in 2023, he help the Tigers win a National Championship, won the National Pitcher of the Year Award, and was named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player.

Not to down play what Skenes accomplished at LSU, but a LOT of guys have had extremely successful college careers but can't bring that success to the professional level. There's a reason the list of 1st round draft picks that went on to become 'superstars' in MLB is a relatively short one. However, Paul Skenes is taking his LSU success and continuing to build on it in the pros.

Is Paul Skenes the Next "Face" of MLB?

Since being draft #1 overall in the 2023 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Paul Skenes has done nothing but blow people away. His rookie year was the stuff of LEGEND - 11-3 with 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts in only 23 games. Oh, and the Pirates were kind of 'managing' his work load - giving him the early hook in a lot of games.

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That performance was good enough to win him the National League Rookie of the Year and be a finalist for the National League Cy Young. The expectations are extremely high for his Sophomore season, to say the least.

In fact, arguably, Skenes is quickly becoming one of the faces of Major League Baseball. When it comes to the current landscape of MLB, you got Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper at the top of the list. Right under those names, you probably have Bobby Witt Jr, Gunnar Henderson, Juan Soto, Elly De La Cruz and Paul Skenes.

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Seriously, look at the way baseball is marketed. They generally use their biggest names to market the game. Pretty much everywhere you look, you see all the names mentioned above. Yeah, Mookie Betts is a GREAT player...but you don't see him in commercials or ads the same you see Gunnar Henderson and Skenes.

And as Harper, Judger and Ohtani all get older, you're going to see even more Witt, Henderson, Skenes and Cruz...as long as they stay healthy and continue to produce at a high level.

Skenes-Mania Running Wild in Louisiana & Across the Country

We all know why Paul Skenes is HUGE in Louisiana. Guy is arguably the greatest pitcher in the history of LSU - which is saying a lot, because 'Big Ben' McDonald was absolutely filthy in 1987 & 1988.

But why is he quickly becoming one of the pillars of MLB baseball? The answer is kind of simple - he's the most dominating pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg. Guy has dominated at every level of the game. He makes the best hitters on the planet look foolish. It's not often you see a guy that is labeled as "Can't Miss" - but Skenes is that guy. If he can stay healthy, which is a giant "if" in the world of pitching, he's got Hall of Fame talent.

You make think this, to a certain extent, is biased hyperbole from an LSU homer...but it's not. These are all facts. Let us take a look at the last 12 months alone for Paul:

Get called up
Start in the All-Star Game
Get named Rookie of the Year
Named Finalist for the Cy Young Award
Cover athlete on MLB The Show 25
Get named Opening Day starter

Oh, and his MLB Debut Patch baseball card (for those that don't know, now a days, every player that debuts has a Debut Patch on their uniform. That patch, after the game, gets put into a 1 of 1 card) just sold for a record $1.11 million. That's more than Skenes' salary this year!

The guy is a star. No, I take that back - he's a Superstar. And he's quickly becoming a "face" for Major League Baseball. If he stays healthy, in 10 years, we could be talking about him the same way we talked about Greg Maddux or Roger Clemons or some of the other "1 of 1" talent in MLB history.

The guy is a stud. And there's no limits to his potential. And that is not an opinion, it's just a fact of life.

The Best Professional Baseball Players From Louisiana

Louisiana has produced some incredible athletes over the years. In fact, many called the Bayou State a "quarterback factory", but let's not forget just how many amazing MLB baseball players have roots right here. See if your favorite made this list.

Gallery Credit: Gary McCoy

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Stacker compiled key moments from Major League Baseball's history over the past 100 years. Using a variety of sources from Major League Baseball (MLB) record books, the Baseball Hall of Fame, and audio and video from events, we've listed the iconic moments that shaped a sport and a nation. Read through to find out what happened in MLB history the year you were born.

Gallery Credit: Seth Berkman