Pirates' Paul Skenes goes viral during offseason bullpen session in California

Title: Share on Facebook Paul Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year, continues to garner attention during the offseason with viral moments, particularly a recent bullpen session in California. Skenes trained at the Chapman Baseball Compound, a facility focused on data-driven player development, which includes various aspects of training and technique. The bullpen session was filmed from a unique perspective by Noah Espinoza, a catcher from Cal State Fullerton, who shared the experience on TikTok. During the session, Skenes showcased his full pitching arsenal, which includes a curveball, changeup, splinker, slider, and fastball, the latter reaching speeds up to 104 mph. Although not throwing at full speed, Skenes still impressed observers, indicating his skill level and potential challenge for batters. Skenes had an exceptional rookie season in 2024, achieving an 11-3 record and a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts, despite starting the season in Triple-A. He set a franchise record for rookies with 170 strikeouts over 133 innings pitched and was the first MLB pitcher to have an ERA below 2.20 with over 150 strikeouts in his first 21 games. Skenes also became only the second pitcher since 1913 to maintain an ERA below 2.00 through his first 22 appearances. As he prepares for his first full MLB season, there are high expectations for Skenes to potentially break more records and contend for the Cy Young Award. The excitement surrounding Skenes indicates a promising future for both him and the Pittsburgh Pirates as they look ahead to the 2025 season.

Original Article: https://rumbunter.com/pirates-paul-skenes-goes-viral-during-offseason-bullpen-session-california

Original Article Author: Emma Lingan