Gerrit Cole discloses conversation with Paul Skenes about career-defining decisions

Paul Skenes, much like Gerrit Cole, turned heads with his dominant displays in a Pittsburgh outfit. Like the Yankees ace, even Skenes was the Pirates' first overall selection, in 2023, prompting comparisons between the two.

Last season, Skenes made his major league debut, in May against the Chicago Cubs. Since then, he was probably the best pitcher in the majors, throwing to a 1.96 ERA and going 11-3 on the regular season. He came out on top of the NL Rookie of the Year voting and was the finalist for the Cy Young award.

On Tuesday, Cole was asked about what advice he would give the Pirates standout. On the Casa De Klub podcast, the former Cy Young winner disclosed that he has already connected with Skenes and finds that he has everything in his arsenal to continue succeeding.

"I've spoken to him a couple of times, and I've offered him some advice—some he's sought out in certain areas," Cole said (22:05). "Look, there's not a lot of advice I could give a guy like him. I mean, he's a really bright dude, and he has a ton of discipline. ... He is a stand-up guy, as far as I can tell. I've only met him a few times, but I've been blown away.

"So, I just tried to let him know that I’m a fan of his, I’m an advocate for him, and if he ever needs anything, he can reach out. I just pushed him to make sure he takes ownership of what he's doing. But, honestly, I really think that quality is already there."

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Gerrit Cole once advised Pirates on Paul Skenes' development

Gerrit Cole wanted his former team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, not to hold back Paul Skenes.

Coming up in LSU and winning the College World Series, Paul Skenes had all the making to do well in the majors as well. Before the Pirates rookie made his debut, Cole spoke with Dan Martin of the New York Post about Skenes' development, while sharing what the Pirates must do to loosen up the rookie.

“We don’t know how good this guy is,” Cole said. “Nobody does. He could break the whole mold. He could be the greatest of all time.

"Why hold him back? Let him throw more, let him throw 98 (mph) instead of 102. If you limit him to 60 (pitches), he’s gonna go 103 (mph). Let the horse run. Stretch him out. You’ve got a window now where you can develop him.”

Cole will be proud knowing Paul Skenes doing well with his former team and throwing even more harder with 100 mph+ meatballs getting the best of good hitters at the plate. It remains to be seen if Skenes can build on his excellent rookie campaign in the 2025 season.