Fact Check: Is Paul Skenes the highest-paid rookie in MLB history? No. 1 Draft pick's $9,200,000 signing bonus, examined

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Paul Skenes agreed to terms on a contract. The LSU Tigers pitcher was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB draft.

Skenes has put pen to paper on a massive deal at Pittsburg, with a signing bonus worth $9.2 million. Interestingly, this is the largest MLB draft bonus ever given to a rookie player in the league's history.

According to reports, Skenes' current deal surpassed the previous record held by Detroit Tigers' former No. 1 pick Spencer Torkelson. The baseman received a bonus of $8.416 million when he signed for the team in 2020.

Incidentally, the Arizond Diamondbacks’ Druw Jones is third on the all-time draft signing bonus list, after he agreed to a $8.189 million deal with the franchise in 2022.

Baltimore Orioles star Jackson Holliday signed a $8.19 million rookie contract with the franchise last year, while Adley Rutschmann put pen to paper on a $8.1 million deal in 2020.

Paul Skenes' stats in the 2023 college baseball season

Paul Skenes in action for the LSU Tigers

Paul Skenes had an excellent 2023 season with the LSU Tigers, helping the team win the NCAA World Series title. He racked up 209 strikeouts and 20 walks in 122.2 innings pitched at a 1.69 ERA.

Skenes played a pivotal role for the Tigers throughout the NCAA season, especially when they took down the Kentucky Wildcats in their Super Regional series and qualify for the College World Series. LSU beat the Tennessee Volunteers at the final hurdle to lift the national championship.

Skenes has an excellent angle on his delivery, often causing problems for batters. The Tigers pitcher has also improved on his changeup deliveries which tend to deceive hitters. The player spent two years with the Air Force Falcons before joining LSU in 2023.

It will now be interesting to see how Skenes fares in the MLB with the Pittsburgh Pirates.