Pirates Star Named Signature Player In 2024
Few players have entered the big leagues with expectations as high has Paul Skenes had when he was called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Even fewer have outperformed the lofty expectations placed upon them. Skenes did just that, delivering one of the greatest rookie seasons in MLB history en route to winning the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year and finishing third for the NL Cy Young Award. With Skenes' stellar first season in the big leagues, MLB.com's Will Leitch named the Pirates star one of the signature players from last season.
Leitch ranked Skenes ninth on a list that included players like New York Yankees outfielder and reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers superstar and reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani.
"In June 2023, Skenes was leading LSU to a Men’s College World Series title," Leitch writes. "Before June 2024 rolled around, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 Draft was already dominating in the Major Leagues. Not only did Skenes take NL Rookie of the Year honors, but he finished third in the NL Cy Young Award race. There was no more joyous traveling road show this year than the Skenes Show, as the swagger he showed on the mound was almost as impressive as his pitching. Almost. Skenes took the league by storm, is a social media star and is primed to be the best pitcher in baseball in 2025. And 2026. And for a long time after all that. Just please don’t lose the mustache, Paul."
Skenes turned in one of the best seasons by a pitcher in MLB history, let alone for a rookie. He went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts and set a Pirates franchise record for a rookie with 170 strikeouts over 133 innings pitched. He was also the first pitcher in MLB history to have an ERA below 2.20 and over 150 strikeouts in their first 21 games and the second pitcher since 1913 to have an ERA below 2.00 through their first 22 appearances.
Skenes was also just the fifth rookie in MLB history to finish in the top- hree for the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award. Skenes was the NL's starting pitcher in the All-Star game, making him the first rookie pitcher to start since Dodgers right-hander Hideo Nomo in 1995.
