https://mirror.triblive.com/sports/pirates-expected-set-to-sign-no-1-overall-pick-paul-skenes-to-record-bonus/
Pirates sign No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes to record bonus of $9.2M
Before coming to Pittsburgh, Paul Skenes went shopping for a necktie at Macy’s in his native California. The 2023 MLB Draft No. 1 overall pick was about to sign with the Pirates and wanted to make a positive first impression and was looking for a black tie with gold stripes to complement the colors in their uniforms.
Just when his search was coming up empty, Skenes spotted a black tie with a pattern of tiny skulls and crossbones. Worried he would “look like an idiot,” Skenes said his mother had to talk him into buying it. He also was aware of Pirates fans raising the Jolly Roger flag to celebrate wins, and Skenes was about to take a victory lap of his own.
“It was,” Karen Skenes said with a smile, “an easy decision.”
The Pirates are hoping their selection of Skenes proves to be another perfect pairing after signing the right-handed pitcher from LSU to a record $9.2 million bonus on Tuesday, the highest in MLB Draft history.
It was a decision Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said was made after a pre-draft conversation with Skenes convinced club officials he wanted to play for the Pirates as much as they wanted to draft him.
Pirates GM Ben Cherington introduces Paul Skenes, the LSU RHP who was the No. 1 pick of the MLB Draft after he signed for a $9.2M bonus. pic.twitter.com/FoDi2xuOWQ— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 18, 2023
Skenes called being selected with the top pick “extremely humbling.”
“From my end, it was a no-brainer,” Skenes said. “For the organization, the pick aside and everything else aside, the people that run this organization and the player development are the right people for the job, in my opinion, and that’s the thing that struck me most as I was going through this process. Selfishly, I was really fired up that I was picked by the Pirates. First pick aside, to get picked by the Pirates and just can’t wait to start the journey.”
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His first stop was a visit to The Clemente Museum in Lawrenceville. The Pirates posted it on their Instagram account with photos of Skenes studying mementos from Roberto Clemente’s Hall of Fame career and the caption, “To be a part of history, you have to know the history.”
Skenes was about to make some history of his own.
His signing bonus surpassed the $8,416,300 given to Spencer Torkelson when he was selected first overall by the Detroit Tigers in 2020. The previous highest bonus awarded by the Pirates was $8 million to another right-handed pitcher, Gerrit Cole, who was selected with the No. 1 pick in 2011. The Pirates paid $7.22 million to second baseman Termarr Johnson last year, when he was the No. 4 overall pick.
Paul Skenes makes his opening statement after the LSU pitcher and 2023 MLB Draft pick signed for a bonus record of $9.2M. pic.twitter.com/i2yI7loDeL— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 18, 2023
After winning the John Olerud Award as the nation’s best two-way player as a sophomore at Air Force, where he doubled as a catcher, Skenes transferred to LSU for his junior season.
The 6-foot-6 ½, 260-pounder went 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA and 0.75 WHIP, a school- and SEC-record 209 strikeouts against 20 walks. He averaged an eye-popping 15.3 strikeouts per nine innings, and fanned 21 batters in two starts to win most outstanding player at the College World Series. Skenes became the first pitcher to win a College World Series championship, most outstanding player honors and be selected with the first pick in the MLB Draft in the same year.
“Look, Paul earned his way to the first selection. He earned every bit of that,” Cherington said, noting that signing bonuses will increase along with bonus pools. “For us, this was a difficult decision, but on that Sunday it also became a very clear decision and we’re really excited that he’s a Pirate.”
No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes signs w/@Pirates for $9.2 million (pick value = $9,721,000). Breaks @MLBDraft record of $8,416,300 (Torkelson, 2020). @LSUbaseball RHP, ranks w/Strasburg as best Draft pitching prospect ever. Fastball up to 102 mph, wipeout upper-80s slider. pic.twitter.com/hVECfTjFLx— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 18, 2023
Despite the record amount, the Pirates signed Skenes for $521,000 below the slot value assigned to the 2023 No. 1 pick. It was a different strategy they employed compared to their previous No. 1 overall selection in 2021, when they signed catcher/right fielder Henry Davis for $6.5 million, which was $1,915,300 below slot value.
The Pirates turned that savings toward signing four top-100 prep standouts: pitchers Anthony Solometo and Bubba Chandler and outfielders Lonnie White Jr. and Braylon Bishop, to above-slot bonuses.
The Pirates assigned Skenes to their Florida Complex League team in Bradenton so they could assess his readiness to resume pitching after tossing 122 2/3 innings over 19 starts for LSU this spring.
“He’s been an exceptional achiever wherever he’s been, and we expect that to continue,” Cherington said. “We’re thrilled to start to work with him more personally now. We believe, based on what we know now, that he’s got the combination of skills, competitiveness, ability to execute in competitive situations, critical situations, to move quickly through pro ball and be in the major leagues in the not-too-distant future. But, we don’t want to get into an exact timeline. I don’t think that’s fair to any player.”
As much as Skenes believes his stuff is major-league ready — he throws a fastball that touches 102 mph, a high-spin slider and a changeup that complements both pitches — he’s placing his trust in the Pirates to determine his development timeline.
“The thing that struck me most was just their intelligence in terms of running the organization, and I met with some of the coaches and their intelligence in terms of player development,” Skenes said. “I think the thing that struck me the most is you see the finished product on the field, but a lot of people don’t see the process that goes into it. The care, not just for the player, but the person, which makes me think this is the right organization for me and for a lot of other people.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to be around these individuals. I’m also excited to have the opportunity to go back up and go to another World Series. That’s the goal. That starts tomorrow.”
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