Paul Skenes's Rookie Card Just Sold For More Money Than His 2025 Salary

The Skenes rookie card, which was 1/1, just sold for $1.1 million at auction. One of the most hyped players in the league for 2025, he'll get the ball on Opening Day for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) looks on from the outfield during spring training workouts at Pirate City on Feb. 17. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The exclusive 1/1 Paul Skenes rookie card just sold for $1.1 million at auction, according to Darren Rovell of Cllct Media.

The card, which is made by Topps/Fanatics featured a portion of Skenes' jersey from his debut last year and an autograph. It was the only one made of its kind. The Pirates offered a bounty to whoever pulled the card, but the 11-year-old (and his family) turned it down, selling it instead.

The Paul Skenes Rookie Debut Patch Autograph sold for $1.11 million early Friday morning, setting a public record for any Skenes card and any debut patch in the process.https://t.co/Gwd4mx5fZr

— cllct (@cllctMedia) March 21, 2025

Per Rovell:

Designed to fit inside of a baseball card, debut patches are worn on each player’s sleeve during the game before being removed, authenticated and sent to Topps after the final out. The cards are eventually signed by the players to finish the 1/1 relics.

Ironically enough, the card sold for more than Skenes' entire salary for this season. He'll be paid $875,000.

After being the most-hyped pitching prospect in a decade, Skenes is heading into 2025 as the most-hyped pitcher in baseball, trying to follow up on his electric rookie campaign.

Skenes finished his rookie year 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. The former No. 1 pick in the draft (2023), Skenes made his major league debut in early May after just a handful of minor league starts.

Armed with an upper-90s fastball and his power "splinker," Skenes also earned the start for the National League in the All-Star Game. In addition to winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award, Skenes was also a finalist for the National League Cy Young.

As long as he stays healthy, he'll be a favorite to win the Cy Young Award this season. He'll start for the Pirates on Opening, March 27.

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