Spring Breakout is a new concept from MLB, putting together a designated game for each team’s best prospects. Some of baseball’s most exciting players get to share the field at the same time and multiple enticing matchups are created. One of those was Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates facing off against the top prospect in the sport, Baltimore’s Jackson Holliday.
We can certainly say the at-bat lived up to the hype, with a six-pitch sequence taking place. Holiday was able to work a 3-2 count against Skenes, who is typically known for having a blazing fastball. But he went a different route to punch out Holiday, throwing a breaking ball and getting the youngster swinging.
Skenes certainly enjoyed the strikeout and showed his emotions afterward. He took a little strut off the mound and gave the belt buckle a little wiggle. When you can win a good on good matchup like that, a confident celebration is called for.
You can watch the full moment here.
Skenes was dealing during his Spring Breakout appearance and while he struck out Holliday on an offspeed pitch, the fastball was alive and well. In the first at-bat of the night, Skenes threw three heaters and went over 100 miles per hour on all of them.
His first six fastballs all hit triple digits, topping at 101.7 MPH. A special talent no doubt and someone who will soon set the Majors on fire.
Unfortunately, Skenes will begin the 2024 season in the minor leagues. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and only threw 7.2 innings in professional baseball after winning the College World Series with LSU.
Pittsburgh does not feel like all of the boxes to call Skenes have been checked yet, even with a good spring occurring.
“As we looked at the boxes that needed to be checked for him to be in a position where we’d feel confident and frankly safe to consider him for the major leagues, a lot of those boxes that haven’t been checked yet are not things he has full control over,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “It’s just a matter of where he is in his career and not having had the opportunity yet to experience everything that comes along with being a professional pitcher.”
One day, we will see Skenes and Holliday face off against one another with the Pirates and Orioles, respectfully. For now, the Spring Breakout event whets our appetite, with another round going in favor of Skenes.
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