ARLINGTON, Texas — The first thing Paul Skenes told the Pirates after he signed was that he wasn’t good enough.
At least, not yet.
It was late July 2023, and the just drafted No. 1 overall pick — fresh off one the greatest pitching seasons in college baseball history — was in Bradenton, Florida, for an intake meeting with his new employer. Skenes, director of player development John Baker and pitching coordinator Josh Hopper settled into Hopper’s office at the Pirates’ spring training complex.
Even the most optimistic outlook for Skenes couldn’t have predicted this future.