When you think of generational talents, you think of some of baseball’s greatest players. Paul Skenes is one of those guys. In a year, Skenes has gone from dominating the college ranks to winning a National Championship to being named an MLB All-star during his rookie season, something almost unheard of in today’s ranks. Those who watched Paul Skenes during his tenure at LSU knew the pitcher was destined for greatness as he quickly ran through the Southeastern Conference; however, nobody expected Skenes to leap the Major Leagues with such domination as he had done to this point.

At this point in the season, Paul Skenes is 5-0 with an era of 2.12, giving the Pirates an arm of the future. As an all-star in his rookie season, not only are Pirates fans excited about the future with Skenes on the mound, but many are drawing comparisons to some of the greatest pitchers ever to play the game. Yet, with all the fame and excitement, Paul Skenes is the same quiet competitor he was at Air Force and then LSU; there’s nothing flashy about his personality; he’s just a damn good baseball player with a natural God-given talent that only comes around once a generation.

While at LSU in 2023, Paul Skenes brought in twelve different honors, including the Dick Howser award, along with National Player and Pitcher of the Year honors. At Air Force, Skenes earned six different honors, including the 2021-2022 First Team all-American and the 2022 John Olerud Award, among many others.

During his time at LSU, Skenes built a reputation that took him to the next level as one of the most feared young pitchers in the League. At LSU, Paul Skenes put up an impressive 1.69 ERA. Combined with his time at the Air Force, Skenes’s college ERA finished at 2.18.

As the All-Star break approaches, baseball fans need to take a second to relish that we’re witnessing greatness in Paul Skenes. These types of players are diamonds in the rough and only come around ever so often. There’s something wholesome about watching him play that opens the door to a world of yesteryear when guys played for the love of the game.