Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Paul Skenes Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Is Paul Skenes the greatest pitching prospect ever?

By Carter Bordwell | Last updated 5/10/24

On Saturday, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes will make his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs. Skenes began his minor league career last August and has earned one of the quickest call-ups to the majors ever.

Skenes is unlike any pitcher the majors have seen before as he has a 100-plus MPH fastball and an equally effective slider that can buckle the knees of any opposing hitter.

The 6-foot-6, 240-pound right-hand pitcher has a strong case of being the greatest pitching prospect of all time. Senior Writer for MLB.com Jim Callis weighed in on the subject, placing Skenes in the rarified company of former elite pitching prospects Stephen Strasburg and Mark Prior.

Is Paul Skenes the best pitching prospect ever?

“I think the three who were the best (since 1988) are Paul Skenes, Stephen Strasburg and Mark Prior...” - @jimcallisMLB pic.twitter.com/Prjm2fLBVa
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 10, 2024

Callis' comments are no surprise as Skenes has looked like one of the best pitching prospects in baseball history every step of the way. After playing at Air Force for three years, Skenes transferred to Louisiana State University, where he posted a dominant final year of collegiate baseball.

Skenes was able to shine in the Southeastern Conference against fellow MLB prospects such as the Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford, Chicago White Sox's Jacob Gonzalez and Baltimore Orioles' Enrique Bradfield Jr.

The higher level of competition did not rattle Skenes as he posted a career-best 1.69 ERA with 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings. This was good enough to win the 2023 Dick Howser Award for the best player in college baseball. Skenes also helped lead the LSU Tigers to their first national title since 2009.

After being selected first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Skenes has never missed a beat, accounting for a 1.85 ERA while striking out 55 in just 34 innings for his minor league career.

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