Paul Skenes listed as 4th best starting pitcher in baseball in MLB.com ranking
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Paul Skenes has been listed among the top five starting pitchers in all of Major League Baseball in a new ranking.
Skenes is currently listed as the 4th best pitcher right now, according to a new ranking on MLB.com that lists the top ten starting pitchers in the league.
The Pirates' ace is headed into his second year in the league and will be his first full season in Pittsburgh.
In his rookie year, Skenes burst onto the scene after being called up to Pittsburgh in May.
In 23 games played, Skenes went 11-3 with an ERA of 1.96 and struck out 170 batters in 133 innings pitched.
The 22-year-old pitcher, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft out of LSU, had such a strong season that he was named the starting pitcher for the National League in the 2024 All-Star Game.
Skenes received several accolades for impressive rookie campaign including the 2024 NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year winner, Baseball Digest's National League Rookie of the Year, and Baseball America's 2024 Rookie of the Year in October.
Skenes finished in third place in National League Cy Young Award voting.
Who else is on the MLB.com ten best pitchers list?
Ahead of Skenes on the top 10 starting pitchers list are Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler, Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, and Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale.
Skenes is ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Corbin Burnes, Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans, New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole, San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb, and Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez.
