Pirates' Paul Skenes Names Best Player in MLB
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes had one of the better seasons of any player in 2024, but there is one player who he sees above anyone else in the MLB.
Skenes spoke on the MLB Network, who ranked their top 100 players in the game, placing him at No. 15. They asked Skenes about who he saw as the best player in the MLB and he had an unsurprising answer.
"Growing up an Angels fan, I'm really partial to [Shohei] Ohtani," Skenes said. "I don't think I'm as much of a fan anymore, but I think it's hard to deny, in my opinion, that he's the best player in the sport. He might've been the best player in the sport last year without even pitching. So he's going to start pitching again this year and it's exciting to watch."
Paul Skenes enters our #Top100RightNow at No. 15, but Greg thinks he can climb even higher once he convinces the Pirates to let him hit 😂
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 12, 2025
⬇️ Skenes responds: pic.twitter.com/7JbPbQqzVr
Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, signing the largest contract in professional sports history at the time, 10 years and $700 million.
He didn't pitch last season, after an elbow injury and undergoing surgery afterwards, but had another incredible season in 2024, playing as a full-time designated hitter
Ohtani had 197 hits in 636 at-bats for a .310 batting average, 81 walks for a .390 on-base percentage and had a .646 slugging percentage for a 1.036 OPS. He also had 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, 59 stolen bases, 38 doubles and seven triples in 2024.
He led the Nationa League in home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, 134 runs scored and a 9.2 bWar. He ranked second with 197 hits, walks and stolen bases and ranked third in at-bats.
Ohtani became the first player to join the 50-50 club, 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, which earned him NL MVP, All-Star and All-MLB First Team honors, while he also won an NL Silver Slugger Award and the NL Hank Aaron Award.
While Skenes isn't quite on Ohtani's level yet, who is preparing to pitch again this season, he's had a sensational run-up to the 2025 season.
Skenes starred at LSU in 2023, after transferring from Air Force. He had a 13-2 record in 19 starts, 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings pitched, gave up just 23 earned runs and seven earned runs, while making 209 strikeouts to just 20 walks, leading the program to a National Title that season.
He would enter the 2023 MLB Draft, where the Pirates took him with the No. 1 overall pick. He also signed with the franchise on a $9.2 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to a player.
Skenes dominated in the minor leagues and soon made it up to the majors on May 11 of the 2024 season.
He started 23 games, had a 1.96 ERA in 133.0 innings pitched, allowed just 29 earned runs, 94 hits, six home runs and 32 walks, while making 170 strikeouts and holding opposing hitting to a .198 batting average. He also had a 11.50 K/9 and a WHIP of 0.95.
He was also the first member of the Pirates to start for the National League in the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss did it in 1975, 49 years ago. He is also just the fifth rookie to start an All-Star game, with Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers doing so in 1995, en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year.
Skenes also made the All-MLB First Team, won NL Rookie of the Year and finished third in the NL CY Young Award.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.