Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes Working on Two New Pitches This Spring

We're not sure it's possible for Skenes to get any nastier on the mound, but he's certainly trying as he experiments with a two-seamer and a cutter.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) during spring training workouts at Pirate City on Feb. 12. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

We're not sure if Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes can get any nastier on the mound, but he's certainly trying.

Skenes revealed on Saturday that he's working on two new pitches this spring: A two-seamer and a cutter. Those are in addition to his upper-90s and low-100s fastball and his devastating "splinker."

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“With the cutter in itself, he’s had his slider and he tried to throw it two different ways,” pitching coach Oscar Marin said, “so he has a sweeper, he has a slider, it was just a pitch to be able to consistently get one shape with and be able to be a strikable pitch to be more efficient. With the sinker, it’s just something that he wanted to play with and kind of see where it goes from that.”

New year, new Skenes? The Pirates’ ace spoke with us this afternoon, highlighting his goals for the upcoming season, which include him pitching deeper into games and mastering two new pitches. My story from Bradenton: https://t.co/s2IOvH5eQA

— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) February 15, 2025

Skenes finished his rookie season (2024) at 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, winning the Rookie of the Year award in the National League. He struck out 170 batters in just 133.0 innings and looked every bit the part of an ace moving into 2025. 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. With Skenes, Jared Jones and top prospect Bubba Chandler, the Pirates and their fans finally look to have some optimism moving forward.

Pittsburgh is coming off a last-place finish in the National League Central and hasn't made the playoffs since the 2015 season.

The Grapefruit League season begins later this week.

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