"Paul Skenes is the best pitcher in baseball" - LSU head coach dishes out major acclaim for Pirates starter after ROTY win

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes was named the National League Rookie of the Year for his stellar season on the mound that has him in contention for even the Cy Young award without even playing the entire season.

Paul Skenes was selected as the No.1 draft pick in 2023 after shining brightly for the LSU Tigers and leading them to the College World Series title.

His coach for two years, Jay Johnson, who has been influential in molding his career, spoke to MLB Network about the 22-year-old's mentality and work ethic. He went on to claim that currently, Skenes is the best pitcher in baseball.

"He never deviates, you know, whether it's the, you know, preparation in the off season, we'll be going into spring training, I just think when you put that talent, with that discipline, with that work ethic, you're just going to have remarkable consistency," he said.

"And you know, what you get is, in my opinion, right now, the best pitcher in baseball, and I think that's what's next for him, and to continue to be that."

In 133 innings pitched this season, Skenes managed a 1.96 ERA with an 11-3 record. He was a strikeout machine, setting a Pirates record with 170 strikeouts while only making his debut in late May.

Skenes edged out his nearest competitor Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres. Out of the 30 votes, Skenes received 23 first-place votes, while Merill received the remaining seven/ Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio placed third.

Paul Skenes says it's all about trusting the process

As he was presented with the award, Paul Skenes said he was not merely focused on chasing individual accolades and that winning the NL ROTY was purely a result of his hard work.

"It's cool," Skenes said during a conference call for his presentation, "and it's an honor. I think it's just a product of showing up each day and doing the work, and I think the results are going to take care of themselves.”

Looking ahead, Skenes' future with the Pirates appears promising, as he is expected to be their ace when the 2025 season kicks off. If he continues his strong performance, he could attract significant contract offers from MLB teams as he approaches free agency.