Pittsburgh, which has the right to nominate 안전놀이터 the first overall in the first round of the “2023 Draft,” was the first to call Paul Skenes (21), a right-handed fastball in the third year of Louisiana State University (LSU), on the 10th (Korea Standard Time).
Skins is the best fireballer in the NCAA League who freely sprays 100-mile four-seam fastball, and has drawn attention as a top overall candidate early on an early on. He pitched in 19 games in the NCAA Division 1 this season and pitched 122⅔ innings, recording 12 wins and 2 losses, a 1.69 ERA, and 209 strikeouts. He struck out a whopping 15.3 in nine innings.
In particular, while leading LSU to the championship at the College World Series (CWS) held last month, he started in four games and pitched 32⅓ innings, recording a 1.11 ERA and 42 strikeouts, and was selected as the MVP of the tournament.
After graduating from El Toro High School in California, he entered the Air Force Academy and was seen as a pitcher and catcher, but after transferring to LSU this year, he devoted himself to pitching and grew up to be the best amateur pitcher. Major League Baseball scouts rate him as the best pitching prospect since Steven Strasburg.
Born in May 2002, he is a right-handed orthodox with a sturdy build of 1m 98cm tall and 106kg. Strasburg was also nominated by the Washington Nationals as the No. 1 overall pick in the first round of the draft, with 13 wins and 1 loss, 1.32 ERA, and 195 strikeouts with a 100-mile fastball and curve in 2009.
MLB.com says ‘Skins’ fastball-slider ball mix gets top ratings on scouting charts. Fastballs average 98 miles, often in the 100s, with a maximum of 102 miles. The MLB pipeline gives his fastball a perfect score of 80 points, he said. “Sliders in the mid-to-late 80 miles are excellent in inducing swings and are evaluated as 70 points.”
He served as a pitcher and catcher at the same time during his time at the Air Force catcher. Last year, he won the John Allerud Award, which is given to the best pitching and hitting college player. He pitched 10-3 with a 2.73 ERA, 96 strikeouts, and batted .314 with 13 home runs.
Skins is said to have been greatly influenced by Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels), who is writing the myth of pitching and hitting.
He is said to have watched the game on the spot when Otani made his major league debut as a pitcher at Angel Stadium on April 9, 2018, when he was 15. A few years later, Skins said in an interview with The Gazette during his time at the Air Force Academy, “Ottani is a really interesting player. I am grateful for Otani’s achievements. What he shows in the big leagues is an inspiration for minor leagues and college players. Learn self-management, discipline, and spontaneity. “It’s hard to imagine what it takes to be like Otani,” he said.
However, the Pittsburgh Pirates do not see the Skins as a batter.
Pittsburgh general manager Ben Sherrington said, “I know very well that I was successful as a batter in the past. But his batting is not our focus. I hoped he would come to us. “I will plan to grow and start there,” he said. The Skins also wanted to bat at LSU this year, but he said he devoted himself to pitching for his full-season health.
Pittsburgh has no intention of making his major league debut right away. Sherrington said, “If a first-round designated player makes his major league debut this year, no matter how outstanding he was in college, it will be a very aggressive approach.” He said, “We need to raise him with a long-term vision.” In other words, Skins will start his professional career in the minor leagues under Pittsburgh.
It seems unlikely that the current rookie team FCL Pirates will be with Shim Joon-seok. Shim Joon-seok threw 5⅓ innings in two games this season, allowing two hits and one walk and striking out 10 times.