Paul Skenes is Back on a Mound and His Stuff Looks Unreal Heading into Pirates Season

Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes is back in the lab, getting ready for the 2025 campaign, and his stuff already looks devastating.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against Chicago Cubs third baseman Isaac Paredes (17) during the first inning at PNC Park in 2024. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes is back in the pitching lab getting ready for the 2025 season, and his stuff already looks great.

Take this video from the @MLB account on "X:"

The movement on Paul Skenes’ pitches is mind-blowing ... and it's only January

The movement on Paul Skenes’ pitches is mind-blowing ... and it's only January 😳 pic.twitter.com/uuJyHtUj4j

— MLB (@MLB) January 27, 2025

There are no velocity readings on any of these pitches, but we can only imagine they are already being thrown in the 90s at this point. It looks as if Skenes was working on a two-seamer and a slurve/slider in this video, which pair with his awesome "splinker."

Skenes finished his rookie season at 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA. He struck out 170 batters in just 133.0 innings and looked every bit the part of an ace moving into 2025. He finished in the final three of National League Cy Young voting, falling to Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves.

The Pirates are coming off a season in which they finished last in the National League Central, but with Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller anchoring the rotation, things are looking up in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates will report to spring training in Florida in just over two weeks and then we'll get more and more looks at Skenes on the mound. Given the workload from last season, the anticipated workload this season, and his value to the organization, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Pirates slow-play Skenes in the spring.

Opening Day around Major League Baseball is set for March 27.

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