MLB spring training is one of the best times of the year to see the future of many teams.
Most teams allow their top prospects to play and that allows for some intriguing matchups.
On Thursday, baseball fans were given the treat of watching two former first-overall picks square off.
It was Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates taking on Jackson Holliday of the Baltimore Orioles.
For Skenes, this was the first spring appearance of his career, and he did not disappoint.
Skenes got all three batters out in his one inning of work, including getting Holiday to ground out.
According to Codify, Skenes hit 102 mph on his fastball.
Paul Skenes hit 102 MPH in his spring debut today! pic.twitter.com/ZoNnwp8qgN
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) February 29, 2024
Skenes’ fastball has always been his go-to pitch.
He dominated in college with it and that led to him getting selected first overall.
Even though it was only one inning, he still showed off all the tools that make him one of the top prospects in baseball.
The Pirates are not a team many expect to compete in the 2024 season.
While they have gotten better over the past few years, they still have a ways to go.
But, fast-tracking Skenes through the minor leagues should help.
It should not take long until we see him in the major leagues.
There are even some people who think he will be up at some point this year.
Playing in the NL Central is an advantage for the Pirates.
The division is not very tough and the Pirates could have a path to winning it.
But, for that to happen everything must go right for them including their top prospects reaching their potential.
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