SEATTLE (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates selected hard-throwing LSU right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes with the top pick in baseball's amateur draft on Sunday night.
Skenes went 12-3 as a pitcher with 209 strikeouts in 122 innings in helping lead the Tigers to the College World Series championship. The pick was announced by Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., the top pick of the 1987 draft by the Seattle Mariners.
Skenes was the first college pitcher selection No. 1 overall since Casey Mize by Detroit in 2018.
For the second time in three years, the Pirates held the top overall selection after picking catcher Henry Davis at the top of the 2021 draft. Davis made his major league debut last month for Pittsburgh.
It seemed to be a debate between Skenes and his LSU teammate, Dylan Crews, for the top pick. Crews hit .426 with 18 home runs while playing center field for the Tigers.
Skenes' slot value is expected to be about $9.7 million.
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