2023 MLB Draft: LSU’s Paul Skenes selected No. 1 overall by Pirates

SEATTLE (WAFB) - LSU right-hander and the 2023 National Pitcher of the Year Paul Skenes has been selected No. 1 overall in the 2023 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

With the first pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates select Paul Skenes!@Paul_Skenes | @Pirates pic.twitter.com/8PXa4O7K8Q
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) July 9, 2023

Skenes, a 2023 consensus First-Team All-American helped lead the Tigers to their seventh baseball National Championship in school history and had one of the best seasons as a Tiger.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander finished the season ranked No. 1 in strikeouts with 209, No. 1 in strikeouts per nine innings (15.33), and No. 1 in WHIP (0.75) and he finished ranked No. 2 in the nation in ERA at 1.69. He was No. 3 in strikeout-to-walk- ratio (10.45), and No. 5 in hits allowed per nine innings (5.28).

He led the SEC in wins with 13, strikeouts with 209, opponents batting average at .165, innings pitched at 122.2, and ERA at 1.69.

During the 2023 season, Skenes won the 2023 Dick Howser Trophy, which goes to the best NCAA Division I player, becoming just the second joining Eddy Furniss.

Skenes, 209 strikeouts set the SEC and LSU single-season record for strikeouts breaking Ben McDonald’s record of 202.

He was voted the 2023 National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball and D1 Baseball and was one of three finalist for the 2023 Golden Spikes Award along with teammate Dylan Crews and Florida’s Jac Caglianone.

Skenes, was also voted on by 14 SEC coaches as the SEC Pitcher of the Year, becoming the first to win the award since Aaron Nola did in 2013 and 2014.

He was also named the Most Outstanding Player for the 2023 College World Series where he was 1-0 with a 1.15 ERA in 15 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with two walks and 21 strikeouts.

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