Pittsburgh Pirates Rookie Paul Skenes Named MLB All-Star, Makes League History

Paul Skenes was selected to the National League's pitching staff for the upcoming MLB All-Star Game, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie carve out a spot in the history books.

Jul 5, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Skenes hasn't even been a professional baseball player for a full year yet, and he has already been named an All-Star.

The reserves and pitching staffs for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game were revealed Sunday on ESPN, based on the Players Balllot and opinion of the Commissioner's Office. The Pittsburgh Pirates had Skenes and outfielder Bryan Reynolds both make the cut.

While this marks Reynolds' second time going to the All-Star Game, this is obviously a first for Skenes. After all, the Pirates didn't even draft Skenes until July 9, 2023, or sign him until a week later.

Skenes went No. 1 overall out of LSU, and he hasn't disappointed since reaching the big leagues back in May. As noted by USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Skenes is the first player in MLB history to be selected first overall in the draft and then make an All-Star team the following season.

The 22-year-old righty is 5-0 with a 2.12 ERA, 1.011 WHIP, 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings and a 2.7 WAR through 10 career MLB starts. Despite not making his big league debut until May 11, Skenes already ranks No. 9 among NL pitchers in WAR.

Skenes has made league history seemingly every time he's taken the mound this season. Now, he has done so simply by aligning himself with the best players in the game.

Reynolds, meanwhile, is putting up some of the best numbers of his career so far in 2024. He is batting .284 with 16 home runs, 54 RBI, an .836 OPS and a 2.9 WAR.

Thanks to Skenes and Reynolds' contributions, and a handful of other young players who have added value this season, the Pirates are currently contending for an NL Wild Card spot at 42-47. If Skenes can help Pittsburgh end its eight-year postseason drought by sparking a second-half surge, his reputation would only grow stronger.

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