Paul Skenes has officially arrived to the Pittsburgh Pirates ... kind of.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft made his minor league debut with an inning of work for the Pirates' Florida Complex League team Thursday afternoon.
It came against the FCL Twins and No. 5 overall pick Walker Jenkins in Bradenton, Florida.
Skenes was clean, throwing an inning without giving up a hit or a walk and notching a strikeout against Jenkins.
Straight ⛽️@Paul_Skenes | #ThePowerhouse pic.twitter.com/mMqMJzHxky
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) August 10, 2023
Skenes' hardest pitch was 101 mph, meaning he picked up right where he left off in the College World Series for LSU.
MORE: Paul Skenes contract details: Signing bonus, slot value and more to know
It's hard to know what's next for Skenes, who comes into the Pirates pipeline at 21 years old and will be 22 by the next MLB season. He signed with Pittsburgh for a record-breaking $9.2 million bonus in July and he doesn't have to grow into his frame -- he's already 6 foot 6 and 235 pounds.
Skenes went 12-2 this season for LSU and threw 122 2/3 innings. He posted an ERA of 1.69, struck out 209 batters, and walked just 20. He finished last year with a WHIP of 0.750.
Talk of Skenes getting game reps started when he threw a bullpen session in Bradenton on Sunday, per Justice delos Santos of MLB.
Skenes has high potential for the Pirates, and the organization seems to be willing to take an at least somewhat conservative approach. Having him pitch at Pirate City in the FCL instead of with Single-A Bradenton lets Pittsburgh monitor his progress, especially after an arduous college season.
It's only one inning, so there aren't any conclusions to be drawn yet. But one thing is certain: Skenes throws gas. Just ask Jenkins.
