Greg Sankey opens up about reconnecting with LSU alum Paul Skenes at MLB All-Star Game

The SEC has regularly produced some of the top baseball prospects for the MLB, recently most notably former LSU pitcher Paul Skenes. Who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and recently became the first top pick in MLB history to become an All-Star the following season. Starting on the mound for the National League in Arlington, Texas for the 2024 All-Star Game on Tuesday.

Coincidentally, SEC Media Days were down the road in Dallas, Texas during MLB All-Star Week. Which allowed SEC commissioner Greg Sankey to partake in some of the festivities including a conversation with one of the conference’s best players in recent history.

“It was neat, in the fact at the Home Run Derby I sat down in the third base dugout with our T-Mobile friends. They were kind enough to host us there and Paul ended up sitting right in front of me,” Sankey said on SEC Network Wednesday at SEC Media Days. “They had all the All Stars out in their team uniforms, which you knew everybody was, and so we had a five-minute chat.”

Skenes was a one-hit wonder for the Southeastern Conference, starting off his college career at Air Force where he spent two seasons before transferring to LSU. Where in 2023 he was the most decorated player in college baseball after leading the nation with 209 strikeouts and leading LSU to a national championship win in Omaha.

“We we’re talking about Hoover, and Omaha, and his experience pitching in the SEC, and then you watch him walk out there to start a Major League Baseball game. You’re like, he was in that police motorcade to and from the Wynfrey a little over a year ago. So great for him, great for the league,” Sankey said.

After taking home the College World Series Most Outstanding Player Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, and being named the National Player of the Year by several publications in his final year with LSU, Skenes continued to represent the SEC right in the pros.

Since being called up to the big leagues in May Skenes has dominated the MLB and become an instant sensation. Pitching in 11 games with a 6-0 record where he’s boasted a 1.90 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and struck out 89 batters. As he’ll look to continue displaying his dominance after the All-Star Break while continuing to ame the SEC and LSU proud in the process.