ARLINGTON, Texas -- Thirteen months ago, Paul Skenes was still in college, winning a national championship at LSU. Exactly a year ago, he secured his spot as the first pick in the MLB draft and set his sights -- and prodigious talent -- on reaching the big leagues as quickly as the Pittsburgh Pirates would allow. They obliged in May, and since then all Skenes has done is pitch better than anyone in Major League Baseball.
At 22 years old, just 11 appearances into his major league career, Skenes started the All-Star Game for the National League on Tuesday night, only the fifth rookie ever to do so.