Paul Skenes discusses improvements he made to help his game

Potential No. 1 pick Paul Skenes has been a star from the moment he stepped on a college baseball field. But the starting pitcher took his game to another level in 2023 after he joined the LSU program.

Skenes made a mid-game appearance on the ESPN broadcast during Monday’s game versus Wake Forest and discussed how his game has developed since joining the Tigers program.

“I’ve gotten stronger, grown in my body a little bit,” Skenes said. “A lot of it has been sleep and recovery, nutrition. I figured out some more stuff about how my body needs to move. Figuring out my sequencing, figuring out where my chest needs to be at the right time and that kind of thing. A lot of it was based on my chest.”

Skenes has been incredible this season for the Tigers. He has pitched and started 18 games with a 12-2 record, 1.81 ERA, a 0.776 WHIP and 200 strikeouts in 114.2 innings.

“To be honest, it is simple if you do it for a long period of time, I think,” Skenes said. “I knew the importance of it. Honestly, I got some more resources that helped me figure out exactly what I needed to do to move more efficiently.”

The 6-foot-6 Skenes was already an All-American before he arrived at LSU; he was named as a first-team All-American for both of his years at Air Force.

Skenes was a lights-out closer as a freshman for the Falcons, saving 11 games with a 2.70 ERA. He also hit .410 with a .486 on-base percentage.

As a sophomore, he slumped at the plate to a .314 batting average but still managed to hit 13 home runs and have an OPS over 1.000. On the mound, he was 10-3 with a 2.73 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 85.2 innings as a starter.

Now, he is projected to be a top-five pick in the MLB Draft. MLB.com has him as the No. 2 prospect in the country.

“After working at 93-95 mph and touching 99 with his fastball as a sophomore, Skenes has averaged 98 mph and hit 102 at LSU, with the flat approach angle and carry on his heater making it almost impossible to hit. His slider has improved under the tutelage of Tigers pitching coach Wes Johnson, becoming an 85-89 mph beast with sharp break and absurd swing-and-miss and chase rates. His power changeup arrives at 88-93 mph with fade and is a solid offering when he lands it in the strike zone,” the MLB.com scouting report on Skenes reads.

“Physically imposing at 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, Skenes is athletic with the body control to repeat a sound delivery and provide plenty of strikes.”