Paul Skenes is also the best option to be the Steelers’ quarterback in 2025.
Widely regarded as one of the best pitching prospects in recent history, Paul Skenes has already made his mark on the league. Last season he had an 11-3 record, won the NL Rookie of the Year Award, and came in third in NL Cy Young voting. With the 2025 season on the horizon, many are already expecting big things from the second year pitcher, with MLB.com predicting that he’ll win the NL Cy Young Award this year.
With a powerful six-pitch mix, Skenes truly is a throwback to pitchers of yesteryear. The intimidation factor that he possesses on the mound in the era of some of the best hitters on the planet is remarkable, showing shades of Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. The velocity that he generates on his fastballs scorches opposing batters, regularly touching triple digits. On the flip side, his patented splinker is mind bending, slowing it down for consistent swing and miss opportunities. Of course he’s continuing to add to his repertoire, with his cutter debuting this Spring in impressive fashion.
Can Paul Skenes make the jump from NL Rookie of the Year to NL Cy Young Award winner in 2025? pic.twitter.com/tqsEBHzImv
— MLB (@MLB) March 13, 2025
Andrew McCutchen spoke recently on the kind of player Skenes is and can be in the future, already comparing him to Hall of Fame type talent.
“And, you know, when it comes to Paul, I mean, he’s a unicorn,” McCutchen said. “He reminds me of (Jacob) deGrom,” McCutchen added. “He reminds me of a guy who has really good stuff and can locate it very well. And he doesn’t just focus solely on his velocity—he’s trying to pitch. So it’s great to see that in a guy who’s only 23 years old. It’s unbelievable.”
Dwight Gooden has been another pitcher that Skenes has been compared to recently. Gooden famously won rookie of the year in 1984, and then in the very next season won the Cy Young Award. Skenes has the chance to join him as the only other pitcher to win Rookie of The Year and the Cy Young the following season.
Paul Skenes, New Cutter? pic.twitter.com/T9pRvmxAjJ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 1, 2025
ZiPS Projections sees Skenes having 8 wins in 2025, with a 3.25 ERA, and 181 strikeouts, with several outlets projecting him to be one of the top pitchers in baseball.