Former LSU pitcher, No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes goes 4 innings and allows 1 run in up-and-down MLB debut with Pirates

Anyone watching Paul Skenes at Triple-A Indianapolis this season knew one thing for certain: His talent was wasted dominating the Minor Leagues.

The Pittsburgh Pirates clearly agreed, calling up the 2023 College World Series' Most Outstanding Player and 2023 MLB Draft No. 1 overall pick to make his MLB debut Saturday. The 21-year-old flamethrower made his first start against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park, and he did it in style. Skenes came out dealing, striking out the first two batters he faced and throwing nine pitches over 100 mph in the first inning overall.

Skenes' entire day did not go so smoothly. While his stuff is clearly electric — particularly for a pitcher making his debut — he battled some control issues throughout the game. Skenes was ultimately pulled in the fifth inning after the first two runners got on, leaving his pitch count at 84 (54 strikes). While Skenes himself allowed just one run (a Nico Hoerner solo shot) with seven strikeouts and two walks, his day ended with three runs allowed when reliever Kyle Nicolas walked in two inherited runners.

REQUIRED READING: Former LSU baseball pitcher, No. 1 overall phenom Paul Skenes gets called up to MLB by Pirates

Skenes' season-high in pitches coming into the game was 75 with Indianapolis.

Paul Skenes stats in MLB debut

Skenes' line in his MLB debut suggested electric stuff with room for improvement.

He finished with four innings pitched, seven strikeouts, two walks, six hits allowed and three runs total (two of which were inherited by Nicolas). He allowed a home run to Hoerner in the top of the fourth inning over PNC Park's short wall in left field as well.

Ultimately, Skenes' day ended with a no decision and a lot of buzz within PNC Park. While he was far from perfect, it was readily apparent how impressive his arsenal is, particularly his livewire fastball.

Skenes will look to break into a Rookie of the Year race that has already been hot this year. Fellow Pirate Jared Jones is among the frontrunners, alongside the Cubs' Shota Imanaga and the Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto. If the Pirates continue to limit his pitch count, it will hard for Skenes to join that conversation. But when he was on Saturday, he had Cubs batters utterly vexed. He'll look do that with some more consistency moving forward.

When was Paul Skenes drafted?

Skenes went No. 1 overall in the 2023 MLB Draft in Seattle, going over fellow Tiger Dylan Crews. Crews was picked second by the Washington Nationals.

It took Skenes just seven starts in Indianapolis this year to make it impossible to not call his number, despite going six innings just once. He held opposing batters to a .175 average, .486 OPS and he had a 0.99 ERA.

Skenes has been lauded for his fastball, which tops out around 102 mph, and his "splinker," a splitter-sinker hybrid that hangs around the mid-90s. Those two pitches combined with his slider and developing changeups and curveballs have made him one of the most hyped-up prospects of the decade.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How did Paul Skenes pitch in his MLB debut with Pittsburgh Pirates?